T 



BY 



WABEEN SUMKEB BAELOW. 



SECOND EDITION. 




BOSTON": 
WILLIAM WHITE & COMPANY, 

BANNER OF LIGHT OFFICE, 158 WASHINGTON STREET. 

NEW YORK : 
AMERICAN NEWS CO., AGENTS, 119 NASSAU STREET. 

1870. 












Entered according to Act of Congress in the yeur 1869, by 

WARREN SUMNER BARLOW, 

in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, for th8 

Southern District of New York. 



TO 

THOSE WHO HAVE EARS 

TO HEAR, 

' THE VOICES " ARE RESPECTFULLY 

DEDICATED. 



Digitized by the Internet Archive 
in 2011 with funding from 
The Library of Congress 



http://www.archive.org/details/voicesOObarl 



CONTENTS. 



THE VOICE OF SUPERSTITION 

Presents the conflict that many suppose exists between their 
Maker and an imaginary evil being. Page 1 

THE VOICE OF NATURE 

Is founded on the idea of 

One God, with one revokeless plan, 
Embracing every world and man ; 
That man should learn to comprehend, 
That all to good results doth tend. 

Page 142 

THE VOICE OF A PEBBLE 

Aims to teach the Individuality of Matter and Mind, Fraternal 
Charity and Love. Page 170 



All Nature is but one stupendous thought, 

Which God through love and wisdom hath outwrought. 

All things cooperate and ever blend, 

And serve each other for a noble end. 

But creeds have so benumbed our feeble sense — 

Our just conceptions of Omnipotence, 

So slandered reason, and God's light within, 

We sometimes fear our purest thoughts are sin. 

O man, be just ! Be true to reason's light ! 

Dispel the moral gloom that dims thy sight ; 

What e'er unbiased judgment doth commend, 

Pursue with freedom, and in love defend. 



VOICE OF SUPEKSTITIOK. 



It hatli been said, in ages long since gone, 
When Time was young, or in its early dawn, 
That from chaotic matter God designed 
This little world, to represent His mind. 
But as all Nature was an endless night, 1 
His first commandment was " Let there be light ! " 
"When, from eternal darkness light was born, 
Which ushered in the grand primeval morn. 
Thus darkness fled before the verge of day, 
And hid itself beyond the shady way. 
The waters next divided from the land, 
While vegetation came at His command. 
When fragrant flowers and fruitful trees un- 
furled, 
The Lord was pleased that He had made a world. 

1 Gen. i. 3. 



8 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

Three days and nights disclosed their light and 

shade, 1 
Before the sun 5 or moon, or stars were made ! 
Upon the fourth, the golden sun was "born, 2 
To rule the day and gild the early morn ; 
The moon and stars to shed their silver light, 
And cheer the silent hours of tranquil night. 
At length, all forms of life in wondrous train, 
And man, the monarch of the land and main, 
'Mid Eden's flowers and fruits in beauty stood, 
While God, delighted, said that all was good. 3 
Thus heaven and earth reveal His works and 

ways, 
And show a work completed in six days. 

And while He sought refreshing slumber sweet, 
Amid the arches of His grand retreat, 
He little dreamed that other powers would rise, 
That seraphs who inhabited the skies, 

Vien. i. 13.— s i. 14-18.— 3 i. 20-31 — 4 ii. 2. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 9 

"Would envy Him His power and glorious plan, 
And wage a warfare and bewilder man. 
Yet sad to tell, the angel host rebelled, 
And in the contest were from heaven expelled. 
Thus dawned the days of darkness, death, and 

evil, 
And introduced the serpent called the devil, 1 
Who, now on hostile terms with God of all, 
With fell intent resolved that man should fall, 
At once proceeds to Eden's calm retreat, 
With plans matured, God's purpose to defeat ; 
In serpent form upon his tail he walked, 
With forked tongue he eloquently talked, 
And thus addressed the happy Eden pair : — 
"Why not partake of every tree so fair?" 
"We will, save one, but that we must deny, 
God said, 'the day ye eat thereof ye die.'" 2 

" Ye shall not die ! I pray you have no fear ; 
You'll see with open eyes and vision clear, 

1 Rev. xii. 7. 8, 9.— - Gen. ii. 17. 
1* 



10 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

And be like gods, well knowing good and evil. 
God knows 'tis true, though spoken by the 
devil." l 

He gave the fruit to Eve while thus he spake, 
"Who acquiescing gladly did partake : 
And willing with her husband to divide, 
Persuaded him to share it with his bride. 

Thus dowered with visions of immortal youth, 
They found that Satan had but uttered truth.' 

God being rested by His late repose, 3 
At cool of day into the garden goes ; 
And not perceiving them, His charming pair, 
His voice " walked " forth upon the balmy air, 
And circled round among fair Eden's bowers, 
'Till died its echoes 'mid the fragrant flowers, 
In search of Adam, whom He did not see, 
Because he hid from God behind a tree;* 

1 Gen.iii. -1, 5, 22.— " Gen. iii. T.— 3 Ex. xxxl IT.— 4 Gen. iii. 8, 9. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. H 

But when espied, the truth did not conceal, 
For frankly did they each the fact reveal. 

"When God had learned what Satan had been 

doing — 
That Eve and Adam, knowledge were pursu- 
ing, 
Incensed on them his fearful wrath he hurled, 
And for their disobedience, cursed the world; 
Condemned His holy pair, proclaimed their fall — 
And thus pronounced his sentence upon all: 

Now Satan (being on the docket first), 
" Above all beasts and cattle art thou cursed, 
Upon thy belly shalt thou wend thy ways, 
And live on dust the remnant of thy days : 
Hate for thy seed, the woman's seed shall feel, 
And bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise 
his heel ; a 

1 Gen. iii. 14, 15. 



12 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

And thou, O woman ! for this wicked deed, 
In pain and sorrow multiply thy seed ; 
And to thy husband thy desire shall be, 
Submissive thou, he shall rule over thee. 1 

Now Adam, as it was thy wicked choice, 
To listen to the tones of woman's voice, 
And didst with her forbidden fruit partake, 
The earth is ever cursed for thy sake ; 
In sweat and sorrow eat thy daily bread, 
With thorns and thistles in thy path to tread." 2 

Thus were they banished from their Eden 

home, 
With Satan in a barren world to roam ; 
And lost the title to their first estate ; 
God set the trap, and well arranged the bait, 
That Satan might prevail and seal the fate 
Of all the race of man for what they ate ; 

1 Gen. iii. 16.— B iii. 11, 13, 19. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 13 

Because they had a thirst for truth and knowledge, 
And had no other chance to go to college : 
Thus like the gods, they learned the good and evil, 1 
But for this knowledge they might thank the 
devil. 

And now from their approach to guard the tree, 
Whose fruit to taste is immortality, 
A sword of flanie, still turning every way, 
Flashes from hand cherubic, night and day. 2 

INT EEL TIDE. 

(If God designed that man should not rebel, 

Not eat forbidden fruit and go to hell, 

Why did He not defend the fatal tree, 

And thus protect the race eternally? 

But no ! the record hath most plainly told, 

The fruit was good, and pleasant to behold ; 

The tree to be desired to make one wise, 

With Satan left to counsel and advise. 

With access free from every side around, 

Within their reach the charming fruit was found ; 

1 Gen. iii. 22.— - 111. 22, 23, 24. 



14 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

Its fragrant odor mingled with their breath, 

While all conspired to urge them on to death. 

Oh, why was man in this dread hour neglected, 

And left alone with Satan, unprotected ? 

To bring a damning curse upon his head, 

And sound the awful dirge — the race is dead ! 

Or did God choose that Adam and his wife, 

Should eat of this, but not the tree of life ? 

The record this opinion justifies, 

And only he who blindly reads, denies ; 

For all conspired with charming fruit so sweet, 

To urge them to the fatal tree and eat; 

While flaming swords repelled the fated pair, 

Forever from the tree of life so fair.) 

Yet Adam knew, and fondly loved his wife, 1 
But now begins their sad career of life. 
Eve bore a son, named Cain, to till the ground, 
And Abel next, who did in flocks abound ; 
Their wants by daily toil were well supplied, 
Had all they needed, yea, and more beside; 
From which they made their offerings to the Lord, 
The choicest products which they could afford. 

1 Gen. iv. 1, 2. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 15 

God only pleased with Abel's, strange to tell; 1 
Filled Cain with anger and his features fell. 
God thus respecting one, and not the other, 
A quarrel rose, in which Cain slew his brother ; 
For this offense the Lord in vengeance raved, 
And cursed His child that kindness might have 
saved. 

Cain now forsook his farm and fled from God, 2 

Eastward of Eden, in the land of Nod. 

While thus remote from God in foreign land, 

Who there should greet him, and extend her 
hand, 

But charming woman, in his state forlorn, 

Before a daughter ever had teen horn. 

While cursed of God, and doomed to separa- 
tion, 

He then to woman looked for consolation ; 

She bore and blessed him with a charming son ; 

And now the race of Cain was well begun. 

1 Gen. iv. 4, 5, 11.— My. 1G 



16 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

Cain built a city, Enoch was its name, 1 
His eldest son was also called the same. 
And now it came to pass upon the earth, 2 
That sons and daughters were of frequent birth, 
That generations then were multiplied, 
And in their growing strength the Lord defied. 
While God beheld the wickedness of earth, 
That evil only followed every birth, 
Grieved to His heart, repented making man, 3 
Because the devil foiled Him in His plan. 
This unforeseen defeat, and sad condition, 
In its reaction roused the Lord's ambition, 
"Who now resolved that man and beast should 

die, 
With creeping things, and birds that cleave the 

sky, 

For " it repented Him He made them all," 
And every tribe of life alike must fall, 4 
Excepting only those the ark up bore, 
And righteous family of good old Noah, 

1 Geu. iv. 17.— " vi. 1.— :| vi. 5, C— 4 vi. 7. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 17 

Who built the ark tempestuous seas to ride, 
In which he took all flesh and food beside. 



INTERLUDE. 

(The folly of this story is quite clear, 

As all these tribes were fed at least a year, 

Within a space not half their cubic feet, 

While most of them ten times their bulk would eat.) 

Now came the mighty flood with waters deep, 
Its rolling waves o'er mountain tops did sweep ; 
Nor cries for help, nor prayers that Heaven 

assail 
With earnest pleas for mercy, could avail; 
No hill was left to echo, nor to save 
The dying victims from a watery grave; 
All topmost peaks were sought, yet seen no 

more, 
A boundless ocean raged without a shore; 
All life was hushed on earth God made so fair, 
The mournful billows sighed in sadness there, 



18 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

And howling tempests rocked the world to 

sleep, 
Amid the surges of the rolling deep, 
And closed a world-wide grave with none to 

weep. 1 

INTERL VDE. 

(Hard to relate, yet harder understood, 

Why all was evil, God created good; 

Why such a fate should now befall mankind, 

When all for good their Maker had designed ; 

That evil uncreated should prevail, 

And with success the powers of truth assail; 

That God's great plan should now forever fall, 

And hell with death and devils get us all; 

That Satan and his host alone should live, 

Yet run at large permitted to deceive. 

If Satan caused all evil to prevail, 

Why did not God the cause at once assail? 

What lasting good can auy one expect, 

While cause remains, by punishing effect? 

Be as it may, the devil gained his plan, 

God made his title good by drowning man : 

1 Gen. vi. & viL 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 19 

Thus Nature wept in sadness o'er the tomb, 
That draped the earth in universal gloom. 
One righteous family alone reserved, 
With this the race of man must be preserved ; 
Which being just, the right would only do, 
Like as at first, God now begins anew.) 

The waters on the earth, twelve months re- 
mained, 
But where they went, this knowledge none 

have gained. 
We only learn the waters were abated, 
For this is all that Moses has related; 
The vessel rested on a mountain side, 
And in due time the face of Nature dried ; 
Then God to Noah in his ark thus spake, 
" Go forth, and with thee every creature take." 
Noah obeyed, and then an altar built, 
Where blood of all clean beasts and fowls was 

spilt, 
And on the altar rose their burning flavor, 
Which to the Lord was a sweet smelling savor. 1 

1 Gen. viii. 



20 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

Thus pleased with .Noah, from His heart God 

spake : 
" The ground no more is cursed for thy sake ; 
As I have done I will not do again ; 
While earth exists its beauty shall remain ; 
Seed time and harvest, cold and heat not cease ; 
Receive my blessing, and your race increase ; 
My everlasting covenant is sealed, 
And token of remembrance is revealed, 
My bow within the clouds the earth will span, 
That I may not forget my pledge to man." J 

This righteous man began to till the soil, 
A fruitful vineyard blessed his early toil; 
Its juice was sweet, and pleasant to his taste, 
Of which he freely drank with too much haste ; 
So freely he imbibed until at length, 
He fell deprived of reason and of strength. 



Thus fell the second Adam, like the first, 



'Gen. ix. 9-17. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 21 

Let him who reads be judge which was the 

worst. 
But this you will perceive, without much think- 
ing, 
The first by eating fell, the last by drinking! , 
The first at once his nakedness concealed, 
While Noah's shame was ruefully revealed, 
Who cursed his grandson while a verdant 

youth, 
Because his father saw the naked truth y 1 
And he of all the earth God chose to save, 
Was now prepared to fill a drunkard's grave. 
Thus far the devil every time succeeded, 
At least in getting all the Lord most needed. 

INTERLUDE. 

(We would not notice this disgusting tale. 
Did not believers of its truth prevail ; 
Whose many sects are scattered far and wide 
Through every land across the ocean tide. 

1 Gen. ix. 20-25. 



22 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

To every tongue these errors would be sent, 
And for this purpose gold is freely spent, 
To shackle reason, and debase the soul, 
By loving God whom Satan does control. 
And men who seem quite honest and sincere, 
Yet preach these errors and this God revere ; 
Disrobe the great First Cause, all just and wise, 
And make a God that Reason must despise, 
Possessing all the lower traits of man, 
Without the power to execute His plan ; 
A tripartition Godhead all in one, 
Where Father is not older than his Son. 
That Father, Son, and yet the Holy Ghost, 
Are three, yet one, who rule the heavenly host, 
To combat sin, and extricate mankind, 
And yet with Satan most are left behind. 
Ob, would that it were true that this was all, 
That only man corrupted had a fall ! 
But oh, bow sad, while we the page pursue 
(Yet doubly sad to those who think it true), 
That God is made to foster sin and shame, 
And be the willing author of the same. 1 
Read, pause, and ponder on the subject well, 
All preconceived ideas at once expel, 
Receive with candor that which seemeth right, 
And thus reject all evil with delight; 
1 Isaiah xlv. 7. ; Rom. ix. 18. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 23 

While thus untratnrneled and with heart sincere, 
Let judgment dictate and you need not fear. 

You now can say that God is good and wise ; 
Sustains and rules all worlds within the shies ; 
Created man a noble end to fill ; 
That worlds and man reflect His holy will ; 
That every thing on earth, in sea, or air, 
Alike are objects of His tender care; 
That nothing made was ever made in vain, 
And all that is, His wisdom did ordain ; 
That one stupendous plan pervades the whole ; 
That God is love, and has supreme control, 
Our Heavenly Father whom we should not fear, 
A God whom men and angels must revere. 

But we will find, as we peruse the page, 

The God portrayed is oft a God of rage, 1 

That He doth govern as frail men entreat, 2 

And what He wills some other powers defeat, 3 

That He with willing hands brings death and pain, 

Whose vengeance feeds and feasts upon the slain ; 4 

That when a battle raged, to suit His will, 

He made the orbs of day and night stand still; 

1 Heb. iii. 11. — 2 Ex. xxxii. 1-14 ; John xi. 22. — s Ezek. xxxiii. 
11.— 4 Ex. xii. 29. 



24 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

Thus to protract tlie Woody scene at night, 
He gladly volunteers to hold the light; 
And intercepts revolving worlds on high, 
That He may see His children fight and die! 

And when He heard the cry, or wail of sorrow, 
Come up to Him from Sodom and Gomorrah, 
Could not conjecture what it was about, 
As His remote location made Him doubt, 
(To Sodom and Gomorrah I will go, 
And when I learn what they have done, I'll know ; 
Thus saith the page, as all can see and read; 1 
But light and truth these sayings will not heed.) 
With what He heard, not being well delighted, 
Came down to see, He being quite near-sighted ; 
Thus saw, and learned what He knew not before, 
Which to His knowledge added one thing more. 
Who can revere and love a God like this, 
And trust their souls with Him for happiness? 
'Tis not the God who everywhere resides, 
And with omniscience over all presides, 
Whose life pervades all Nature everywhere ; 
Whose love and wisdom all His creatures share; 
Who over Nature holds eternal sway, 
And worlds and suns revolve while they obey; 

1 Gen. xviii. 20, 21. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 25 

"Who lives in matter gross, and most refined, 
Controls the whole, and fashions every mind.) 

But to proceed (yet please excuse digression, 
"When thoughts intrude and urge a brief ex- 
pression). 
"Next Abraham was chosen to express, 
Jehovah's holy will and righteousness, 
That every people should confess His sway, 
And gladly learn His precepts to obey. 1 

But how could God to lofty hopes aspire, 
While now His chosen leader was a liar ? 2 
And by this deed, was made an heir of hell, 
Where liars all eternally must dwell ? 3 
Tims forced from Satan to procure His seed, 
His hope for righteous fruit was poor indeed, 
And yet the Lord, by his intrusive will, 
Revoked what He intended to fulfill ; 
And as the record stands we must conclude 
That Abraham had reason to intrude ; 

1 Gen. xxii. — a xii. — * Rev. xxu 8. 
2 



20 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

Behold when threat'ning storms of fearful rage, 
Beflect God's purpose on the sacred page, 
The patriarch plead with mingled pain and 

sorrow, 
That He would spare old Sodom and Gomorrah ; 
Again, and yet again, he urged their cause, 
Entreating Him to modify His laws; 
Impelled by love, while hope inspired his soul, 
He plead with God, His anger to control; 
With " peradventure" molding every strain, 
Without this pond'rous word all hope was vain 
Of safety for the cities of the plain. 
And thus he prayed, that wives and daughters 

fair 
Might not with wicked men His vengeance 

share. 

God, being moved with his benignant plea, 
Was half inclined with Abra'm to agree ; 
At once proposed to compromise His plan, 
Change His design and pity fallen man; 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 27 

And said, " If fifty righteous men are found, 
I'll spare the cities and the land around." 1 
But " peradventure" ringing in His ear, 
His love awakened for His children dear, 
He now would save them all for forty-five, 2 
Protect their homes, and families alive. 
For forty, then for thirty did he plead, 3 
Until the Lord again with him agreed ; 
With " perad venture" next he plead for twenty, 
And God at once agreed that that was plenty. 4 
" Oh, don't be angry, Lord ! do save for ten, 
"lis my last plea :" to which God said, Amen ! 5 
But as the righteous ten could not be found, 
Destruction came and circled them around. 



INTERLUDE. 

(Oh, why did Abram cease their cause to plead, 
When G-od with him so willingly agreed? 
One " perad venture " more had quenched the fires, 
One righteous man had answered His desires. 

1 Gen. xviii. 24.— 2 xviii. 23.— 3 xviii. 29, 30.— 4 xviii. 31. 
"xviii. 32. 



28 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

But sad the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah, 

A fiery deluge filled the land with sorrow; 

God's flaming vengeance thirsting for the slaughter, 

Rained showers of fire from heaven, instead of water. 

Through all the air the burning brimstone whirled, 

The elements of Hell from Heaven were hurled — 

From the pure Heaven — God's holy habitation — 

Where angels bow with humble adoration — 

Ev'n there the fierceness of His anger swells, 

And hate pervades the home in which He dwells ; 

For fire and brimstone there are made, or stored, 

To be in vengeance on His creatures poured : 

Men, women, children, doomed by heavenly fire, 

Amid these burning cities to expire, 

Where smoking embers mingled with the dead, 

And all were burned except a few who fled. 

Lot's wife amazed, while in her rapid flight 

Looked back in pity on the awful sight, 

Which of itself would seem to be no fault, 

Yet was condemned, and turned at once to salt.) 1 

When golden morn dissolved the silv'ry stars, 
And dimmed the polished face of genial Mars, 
Before the Sun had kissed the smoky air 

1 Gen. six. 24-26. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 29 

That draped in mourning ruins once so fair, 1 
Then Abraham arose, the Lord he found, 
Before Him stood, and viewed the smoking 

ground, 
Where fire and brimstone mingled with their 

breath, 
Amid the last expiring groans of death ; 
While good old Lot with his two daughters 

fair— 2 
The last fond trio worthy of God's care — 
His hopeful seed from which He fain would 

raise 
A mighty people to proclaim His praise, 
Were so affrighted by the fiery wave, 
That buried cities in a molten grave, 
They sought a mountain cave in land of Zoar, 
That fire and brimstone might disturb no 

more. 
There lived this chosen — only righteous three 
In undisturbed repose and harmony. 

1 Gen. xix 27, 28.— 2 xix. 30 



30 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

Though Lot's fond wife at first was not re- 
jected, 
Yet for one look of pity, unsuspected, 
"Was turned from flesh and blood to rigid salt, 
And stood like polished marble by a vault ! 
But shame and sorrow must pervade each 

breast, 
For daughters thus who were by angels blest, 
Who could commit so base, so dark a crime, 
And cast their shadows on the sands of time. 
My modest pen and ink are loth agreed. 
That if the details you should choose to read, 
Please take the record which is not denied, 
Peruse and ponder until satisfied. 1 
But sadly strange that every pious soul, 
That God designed for His supreme control, 
Should yet defy His power and holy will — 
That Satan thus should hold dominion still! 
But all the sins that darken every fall, 
This last surpasses, and disgraces all! 

1 Gen. xix. 31-38. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 31 

These vain attempts to rescue man from hell, 
And fit him in a better place to dwell, 
To stay the surging waves of death and sin, 
To bar the gate, and keep the Devil in, 
Induced the Lord to compromise and yield, 
To cease the contest, and give up the field ; 
To give His children to the fiend of Hell, 
And earth for his abode, with them to dwell; 
Securing only one, One only blest, 
And make no further effort for the rest ; 
But give to this supreme and constant care ; 
This one alone, should all His blessings share, 
His seed receive protection everywhere; 1 
While Satan, with his many thousand strong, 
With victors' palms, cheered with triumphant song, 
Eetainecl the conquest of his captured throng. 

Thus Abraham was now God's only seed, 
To bear the ensign and maintain His creed; 
Yet should his blood all unborn nations know, 

1 Gen. xxii. 15-18. 



32 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

And God would on them holy love bestow; 

Not all the sands on shores of every sea, 

Whose numbers' almost reach infinity, 
Or countless stars that swim in endless space, 
Can swell the numbers of this chosen race: 
Thus with high hopes the future now was 

planned, 
"With poor old Abraham at His command ! 
While Satan, ready with his mighty throng, 
To wage another war, when foes were strong; 
Yea, eager for the combat soon or late, 
When foes for battle fierce might generate. 

While thus out-numbered and each effort lost, 
Upon the waves of doubt God's hopes were 

tossed, 
Despondent shadows veiled the vacant earth 
When lo! two nations born at single birth: 1 
To raise a people, God with zeal begins, 

' Gen. xxv. 23. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 33 

For who before, or since, hath matched these 
twins ! 

Thus barren Rebekah 

"Within their pavilions, 
Should be the fond mother 
Of thousands of millions. 1 

Man's days now brief, cut short his stay, 
While generations past away 
From Abraham to Isaac's race, 
Next Jacob followed in his place, 
Both were the chosen ones of God, 
To represent His will abroad. 

But Satan yet busy, beheld with delight, 
That foes were increasing made ready for fight. 
Like a fiend in disguise, or the tiger that creeps 
On innocent prey, while it quietly sleeps, 
So Satan in ambush thus warily came 
To Jacob's own mother, Rebekah by name; 
And taught this fond parent the truth to deny — 

1 Gen. xxiv. 60. 



34 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

To cheat poor old Isaac — learn Jacob to lie! 
To rob her son Esau of blessings in store ; 
The child of her bosom, she honestly bore. 1 
Poor Esau dejected, in sorrow then cried, 
" O father, do bless me, why am I denied ? 
Shall Jacob thus rob me by artful deceit, 
By willfully lying, thy blessing defeat % 
Remember, dear father, my birthright he 

craved, 
Now robs me of all you so graciously saved." 

But too late was his plea, all tears were in 

vain f 
~No prayers could avail, what was done must 

remain. 

While Esau defeated and robbed of his right, 
We'll not forget Jacob, but see in what light 
We view him while proud of his ill-gotten 
weal ; 

1 Gen.xxvii. 33. — 3 xxvii. 34-3G. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 35 

But readily see the dark shadows that steal 
O'er the wreck of his hopes, defying repose, 
While justice condemns him wherever he goes : 
Oh, view him while taught by his mother to lie, 
To rob his own brother, his visage deny; 
With heart so corrupted and conscience thus 

seared, 
Deceiving his father he should have revered. 
Who can envy his lot ? ISTo contentment is 

there, 
His pleasures like bubbles will burst in the air. 
With ill-gotten treasures, no blessings can bless, 
ISTo tongue can console, and no hand can caress. 

But poor honest Esau is richer tenfold, 
Than Jacob with caskets of coral and gold ; 
With conscience approving and loving the right, 
Wherever he journeyed it gave him delight. 

But lo, as we trace the dark shadows that 
roll. 



36 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

Enshrouding the senses, misleading the soul ; 
So clouding the light from the fountain on high, 
That God is beheld with a half-seeing eje, 
And then so distorted and misunderstood, 
He sanctions the evil as though it were good. 
Behold Him as seen blessing Jacob who lied, 1 
Who robbed his own brother and father beside ; 
See the plot of deception to ruin his brother, 
Concocted and taught by his own wicked 

mother. 2 
~No censure for mother or son can we trace; 
Unfortunate record, misleading the race ; 
But God, as reported, confirms the foul deed, 
By blessing this Jacob and all of his seed ! 3 

But Jacob with riches and honor prevailed, 
While treasures of Laban he wrongly assailed, 
And with them departed too much like a thief, 
Bat God yet sustained him, which gave him 
relief, 

1 Gen. xxviii. 14, 15. — 3 xxvii. — 3 xxviii. 14, 15. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 37 

And still would be with him whate'er might 

befall, 
With ring-streaked cattle and asses and all. 1 

Thus Jacob prevailing in every design, 
The line of his power he could not define. 
With courage unbounded and will unclenied, 
All mortals outrivaled, while God he defied. 
Preposterous thought, yet as true as the book, 
A wrestle with God he next undertook ! 2 
At night's gentle stillness, while nature reposed, 
And all but the stellar worlds quietly dozed, 
This Jacob and God, each contending for 

power, 
Selected the silent and slumbering hour, 
To prove to the world as the end might befall, 
Which one should be monarch and master of all. 

The contest seemed doubtful while night swiftly 
sped, 

1 Sen. xxx. 2*7-43 ; xxxi. 1-3. — 2 xxxii. 24-30. 



3S VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

'Till twilight of morning o'er Nature was shed; 
While Jacob, less yielding than darkness of 

night, 
Was hopeful, determined, in excellent plight ; 
When God without hope to successfully vie 
Used Jacob unfairly, disjointing his thigh : 
But Jacob unyielding, though crippled and 

lame. 
Yet hopeful for conquest, still wrestled the 

same, 
And held Him so closely, so firm in his power, 
That God from this moment, beginning to cower, 
Exclaimed, "Let me go, the daylight is break- 
ing. 1 
For thou hast prevailed in this undertaking." 
Victorious Jacob denied God's petition, 
But still would release Him on certain condition. ; 
The terms God accepted, and Jacob succeeded 
In winning the game and all blessings he 
needed. 3 

1 Gen. xxxii. 25, 26.— 2 xxxii. 29. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 39 

Behold the great Author of all that we scan. 
Is thwarted by Satan, out-wrestled by man. 
God said, "As a prince I acknowledge thy 

power, 
Thy name shall be honored from this very hour, 
As with man so with Me thy success is the 

same, 
I'll call thee not Jacob but Israel's thy name." 1 
Thus ended the contest without reservation, 
While Jacob was monarch of all God's 

creation ! 

The rolling years in their resistless flight, 
Like twilight shadows on the verge of night, 
Sped swiftly on, not heeding weal or woe, 
As floating clouds before the tempest go ; 
And while the ancient record we pursue, 
A God distorted still is brought to view ; 
And His most hopeful seed, arrayed in power, 
Again are thwarted in an evil hour : 
1 Gen. xxxii. 28. 



4:0 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

Thus Jacob, once so richly clad and fed, 
Came near starvation's brink for want of bread ; 
And all his tribes, Jehovah's chosen race, 
Are headlong hurled from their exalted place, 
And doomed to serve the servants of the devil, 
A God-forsaken race, whose hope was evil ; 
And were oppressed by them in servile chains, 
While Pharaoh, king of Egypt, held the reins. 
Thus slavery with its heinous crimes was born, 
To make despairing hope still more forlorn : 
It seems that God ordained the institution, 
Made Pharaoh's will the law and constitu- 
tion ; 
And fearing he might let his slaves depart, 
God often hardened Pharaoh's wicked heart ; 
Thus passed long years, while hope was yet 

deferred, 
Of chains that bound them, not a link was 

stirred, 
No voice for freedom rent the burdened air, 
!No ray of light in this their dark despair. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 41 

But lo ! a mother who her babe must hide, 1 
In ark of rushes launched him on the tide, 
Amid the dangers there alone to ride : 
~No gentle voice to soothe, nor hand to save, 
His little bark was rocked by every wave ; 
The evening zephyrs sang his lullaby, 
Though every breeze that murmured was a sigh. 
Yet from that feeble floating cradle-bed, 
Sprang Israel's hope, and only promised head, 
Yea, Moses rose by Infinite decree, 
Their chains to break and set the nation free ; 2 
He came commissioned by the will of God, 
To rule King Pharaoh with a magic rod ; 
A strange collision here we plainly see, 
While God through Pharaoh said it should 

not be f 
God sent the plagues to melt his stubborn heart, 
To make him yield, that Israel might depart, 
While oft subdued and filled with grief and 

pain, 

'Ex. ii.2,3.— 3 iii. 15-18.— s iv. 21, 



42 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

The monarch's heart was hardened yet again : 
Like as the smith who works with cheerful zeal, 
First heats his rod to make the hardened steel. 

Now Moses was a meek and honest man, 
And sought no part in this two-sided plan ; 
For as God chose to harden Pharaoh's heart, 
On his new mission he was loath to start j 1 
The Lord to give him courage in command, 
Instructed him in tricks at sleight of hand, 
And turned his rod into a running snake ; 
Alarmed, he fled with haste for safety's sake ; 2 
Then God to Moses said, with much avail, 
Put forth thy hand and take it by the tail ; 
The tail he caught, nor was it caught in vain, 
The frightful snake became a rod again. 3 

But Moses yet reluctantly declined, 
For fear his tongue would not express his 
mind f 

1 Ex. iv. 1.— 2 iv. 2.3.—' iv. 4.— 4 iv. 10. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 43 

God much enraged, thus failing to persuade 

him, 
Sent Aaron with him, as a tongue to aid him ;* 
Thus well equipped with other wondrous things, 
He was prepared to meet the face of kings. 
Still God, distrusting Moses, sought his life, 
And met him by the way in deadly strife \" 
But as the Lord in bloody combat failed, 
He chose to have the king by him assailed ; 
And forth to Pharaoh went with magic rod, 
To prove by tricks that he was sent from 

God; 3 
That He who made the heavens, the earth, 

and sea, 
Hath said that Israel's children must be free. 

Soon, face to face, did they with Pharaoh meet, 
And Aaron cast the rod before his feet : 
Presto change ! in serpent form it crawled ; 
But Pharaoh quickly his magicians called, 

1 Ex. iv. 14-16— 2 iv. 24.— " viL 10. 



44 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

Who came with rods and threw them on the 

ground, 
When each became a serpent running round. 
Thus in this first act Moses was defeated, 
For all that he had done was well repeated. 1 

But Moses next with rod assailed the flood, 
The fishes died, and waters turned to blood; 
Yet the magicians led by Pharaoh's will, 
Performed the same with their unfailing skill: 2 
Which seemed to prove that Moses, with his 

rod, 
Might not have seen, or ever heard of God. 

But Aaron next with rod in outstretched 

hand, 
Invited all the frogs upon the land; 
Yet the magicians with like magic skill, 
Called up the frogs obedient to their will: 3 
Till all the realm was filled in every place, 

Ex. vii. 10-12.— » vii. 19-22.— 3 viii. 5-7. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 45 

"With this amphibious, hopping, croaking race. 
JSTow Pharaoh being over-run with frogs, 
Implored they might return among the bogs, 
If God complied all Israel then might go — 
Be ever free from daily toil and woe. 
But now his hardened heart by God's decree, 
Forbade that Israel's children should be free: 
For when he saw the croakers disappear, 
He broke his vow, and did not God revere. 1 

Next Aaron with his rod assailed the dust, 
And all the grains upon the earth's fair 

crust 
Were turned to lice, by God's divine com- 
mand, 
To show His mighty power throughout the 

land : 2 
Egyptian skill which heretofore prevailed, 
In this great lousy trick completely failed ; s 

1 Ex. viii. 8-15— 2 yiii. 11.— 3 viii. 18. 



40 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

And the magicians did at length determine 
That none but Moses' God could make the vermin! 1 
Yet Pharaoh's hardened heart, by God's decree, 
Forbade that Israel's children should be free. 



INTERLUDE. 

(Though hard or soft his heart, who could consent 
To yield the palm, and sorrowing relent, 
And love this God, and venerate His name, 
While thrice defeated in a chosen game ? 
And though surpassed by God in making lice, 
He need not envy Him in that device, 
Yet we admit (make much of the admission), 
That God (so called) was but the best magician !) 

While Moses now Egyptian skill outvies, 

He fills the land with grievous swarms of flies. 2 

Next all the cattle by divine command, 

1 Ex. viii. 19.— 2 viii. 24. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 47 

He smote with murrain, throughout all the 

land, 1 
While boils and Mains afflicted Pharaoh's 

race, 2 
And groans and sighs were heard in every 

place. 
Then followed hail with intermingled fire. 
Which smote with death, fulfilling God's 

desire : 
Till Pharaoh cried, " It is enough ! forbear ! 
These all combined are more than mortal's 

share. 
If fire and hail and roaring thunders cease, 
All Israel's children I will then release." 3 

INTERLUDE. 

(Pray pity him who fain would let them go, 
But God ordained that it should not be so ; 
Then blame him not while bound by firm decree, 
1 Ex. ix. 3-7.— 2 , be. 8-10.— 3 . ix. 22-28. 



48 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

That Israel's children yet should not be free : 
For He who raised him up, and gave him birth 
To show His mighty power throughout the earth, 
Would not consent that Pharaoh's heart should 

yield, 
Until His horrid purpose was revealed ; 
That Pharaoh still must suffer grief and pain, 
For only doing what God did ordain. 1 
That " God of love" might show what He hath 

willed, 
Then damn His child through whom it was 

fulfilled. 
What other course, I ask, could he pursue, 
When all he did, God raised him up to do ? 
And can you say, (Oh, say it not to me) ! 
That this is God who fills immensity ? 
If this be so, wherever I may dwell, 
Unending space to me is endless hell !) 

]SText swarming clouds of locusts filled the 
land, 2 

'Ex ix. 16; x. 1,2.— a x. 12-16, 



VOICE OF superstition. 49 

To eat the scattered grain the hail let stand, 

And to devour all vegetation fair, 

And leave earth's bosom desolate and bare. 

Next darkness came, and like a funeral pall, 
With mantle thick and black, enveloped all ; 
And hung o'er vegetation's corpse a gloom, 
A darkness ten times darker than the tomb, 
For three long days without a ray of light : 
"Where was the sun in this protracted night ? 1 
But Pharaoh, now again, as oft before, 
Called unto Moses, whom he did implore ; 
And said, " Now go from Egypt with your sons, 
Your wives and daughters, and your little ones; 
And only let your flocks and herds be stayed : 
In leaving them you will not be delayed." 2 

Without his herds he would not leave the sod, 
For they must burn a sacrifice to God. 
A cattle's hoof shall not remain behind, 

1 Ex. x. 20-23—" x. 24. 



50 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

Without reserve these were the terms defined. 1 



And while the king made ready to reply, 
To yield the point, or else perhaps deny, 
God seemed to fear his hardened heart would 

fail, 
That Moses and the plagues might now pre- 
vail ; 
And fearing Israel's children might depart, 
Again re-hardened Pharaoh's hardened heart; 2 
Thus vetoed all, and took direct command, 
To multiply His wonders in the land. 
God said to Moses, "Pharaoh shall not hear 3 
(And hearing not, he surely could not fear), 
That I may bring upon him one plague 

more, 4 
Eclipsing all I ever did before. 
He then will give you all a glad release, 
And let your flocks and herds depart in peace; 
But now, before you make this move so bold, 

'Ex. x. 25, 26.- 2 *. 27.- 3 sL 9.--* xi. 1, 9. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 51 

First borrow all their silver and their gold, 
I'll give tliee favor in their doubtful eyes, 1 
That they may not the borrower despise. 
And I, the Lord, before the early dawn, 
Will smite in Egypt all of her first born." 2 

O mortals, lend your ears ! What rends the air ? 3 
What cries and groans so full of deep despair? 
Is half a nation wailing for the dead ? 
Have all their cherished hopes forever fled? 
Is every home made desolate and bare ? 
And every mother frantic with despair ? 
An awful chorus freights the midnight air ! 4 

But read the page, its import ponder well, 
If this be God, where is the fiend of Hell? 
For God (so called) and maker of the race, 
Came forth at midnight from His holy place, 5 
While mothers slept, with infants on their 
breast, 

'Ex. xi. 2, 3.— 2 xi.4, 5.— 3 xi. 6.— 4 xii. 30.— 5 xii. 29. 



52 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

In calm repose upon their couch of rest — 
My pen now falters while I trace the lines, 
Where God is falsely charged with base de- 
signs : 
But reason's light should guide the man who 

reads — 
That God of love with bloody hands proceeds 
To every house, before the early dawn, 
To slay in Egypt all of her first born ; 
That throughout Israel, whether old or young, 
No harm shall come, no dog shall move his 

tongue ; 
Their very beasts lie will protect with care, 
While babes of Egypt shall His vengeance 

share ; 
That ye may know that Pie who all controls, 
Thinks more of Israel's dogs, than Egypt's 
60uls ! x 

To guard His chosen few, with care selected, 

1 Ex. xi. 1. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 53 

Their homes were stained with blood and thus 

protected, 
That God might pass them by without mistake, 
While murcfring infants for His glory's 

sake i 1 
First born of kings obedient to His will, 
First born of maids that served behind the 

mill, 
First born of captives in the dungeon bound, 
First born of all, where blood could not be 

found, 
Alike He slew, as first of every beast, 2 
God's flaming vengeance surely had a feast ! 

INTERLUDE. 

(If every demon, filled with awful rage, 
Should burst the confines of his smoky cage, 
And rush with heated fury from his cell, 
And leave behind a quiet, vacant hell ; 
Should pile the horrors of that dismal clime, 

1 Ex. xii. 22, 23.— 2 xi. 5 ; xii. 29. 



54 voice of superstition: 

With all its terrors at a given time 

Upon a race, while couched in quiet sleep, 

While midnight slumbers locked their senses deep ; 

They could but shadow forth (don't call it true), 

What God performed, what demons could not do ! 

Is this the God whose mercies every hour 

Exhibit tender and paternal power, 

Who left His throne on high and came to earth, 

And took the form of man, in humble birth ? 

Who left the glories of a heaven most high, 

To bear His cross, to suffer shame and die, 

To rescue man from an eternal hell, 

And fit his soul for heaven, where angels dwell ? 

Is this the Lord who lovingly caressed 

The little children, whom He took and blest ? 

If so, a glorious change for man is wrought : 

But can a changing God, with hope be sought ?) 



But we'll return to Pharaoh, though with pain, 
And briefly trace him through his fearful reign. 
While viewing murdered babes on every side, 
Whose throbbing hearts revealed a crimson tide, 
While mothers' groans, re-echoed from the 
ground 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 55 

Iii frantic discords, rent the air around, 
Though God again had made his heart like 

steel, 
In spite of all, he now was made to feel; 
Yea, more, to act: without an hour's delay, 
He ordered Israel's children sent away ; 
And called to Moses while it yet was night, 
And said, " I pray thee, make a speedy flight, 
With all of Israel, leaving not a head, 
And freely serve the Lord as ye have said; 1 
All must depart, or we are surely dead : 
Your cattle and your herds, leave none behind, 
These are the terms that you yourself defined." 
And to secure a prompt and speedy start, 
They freely did with gold and raiment part; 
Thus one and all from Pharaoh were set free, 
Away they wound their journey to the sea. 

All Egypt now reposed in quiet rest, 
Without a plague to hinder or molest ; 

1 Ex. xii. 29-33. 



56 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

Hope sweetly smiled, yet all their hopes were 

vain, 
For God now hardened Pharaoh's heart again, 
And sent him forth to capture and subdue, 
And to this end with vigor did pursue. 
With ten times hardened heart by God's de- 
cree, 
He followed Israel's children to the sea; 
And found them all encamped upon the shore, 
Where rolling tides obstructed them ' before. 1 
But He who led them forth by clouds of fire, 
Through Egypt's wilds, 'mid dangers dark and 

dire, 
Had now aroused all Egypt from their rest, 
And put a fiery demon in each breast. 
With crowded chariots drawn by foaming 

steeds, 
They dashed with fury on for valiant deeds, 
To capture Israel, as they all supposed; 
But just before they in fierce combat closed, 

1 Ex. xiv. 4r-9. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 57 

God interfered ere yet they reached the scene, 
By clouds of darkness sent to intervene. 1 
Thus were they hampered by the very hand 
That raised their hopes, while death was only 

planned ; 
For while God hemmed their pathway by a 

cloud, 
He was preparing for them each a shroud — 
Was opening wide and deep a watery grave 
Below the angry surface of the wave — 
While o'er the pathway leading through the 

sea, 
Marched Israel in safety, and was free. 2 
The darkened clouds now lift their curtain- 
folds, 
And Pharaoh with astonished gaze beholds, 
Amid the deep, a path from shore to shore, 
Where Israel walks in safety on before. 
While Pharaoh now beheld the vacant main, 
His hardened heart, God hardened yet again ; s 

1 Ex xiv. 20.— 2 jriv. 21, 22.— 3 xiv. 17. 



58 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

So onward still he rushed with chariots armed, 
Expecting to escape the deep unharmed. 
But God who had inspired his hope with zeal, 
Was now prepared His motive to reveal- 
To prove to him, while in the watery gap, 
That Moses was the bait and this the trap ! 
Thus God descends from His supernal arch, 
To intercept him in his ordered inarch ; 
Takes off his chariot wheels while moving 

round, 1 
And throws the loaded axles on the ground: 
Thus while obedient in his wild pursuit, 
His steeds were still, and every wheel was 

mute. 
While in this awful plight amid the sea, 
With one accord they would from Israel nee. 
But God who made their graves so long and 

deep, 
Though sad their fate, resolved His vow to 

keep, 



1 Ex. xiv. 25. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 59 

Now broke the bands that held the fearful 

wall: 
Then rushed the maddened waters in their fall ; 1 
"Wave leaped on wave, then broke upon the 

shore, 
While every breeze a wail of terror bore; 
The angry waters sealed their silent doom, 
And gulfed them all within this fearful tomb. 

1NTERL UDR 

(Thus perished Pharaoh 111 the deep Red Sea : 
There let him rest with long tranquillity ; 
Remote from plagues — the instruments of God; 
Remote from Moses with his magic rod ; 
Remote from lice, that countless, tireless race ; 
Remote from frogs, that croaked in every place ; 
Remote from hissing snakes, that hite and crawl ; 
Remote from flies, that tease and vex us all; 
Remote from maddened hail with fire and smoke ; 
Remote from boils and blains, that most provoke ; 
Remote from murdered babes on every side, 

1 Ex, xiv. 26. 



60 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

Whose weeping mothers would have gladly died ; 
Remote from God (I hope), who raised him up, 
To put these plagues within his bitter cup, 
That He might show great wisdom in the deed, 
And thus be honored by His chosen seed. 

Honor ? shame ! The word is stained with crime, 

And wrested from a pinnacle sublime. 

And God, the name I ever have adored, 

Is clothed with all the terrors Hell bath stored! 

For He surpasses Satan and his host, 

In deeds of which they all combined would boast; 

Thus Satan, in tliis wonder-working age, 

Contents himself within his smoky cage, 

For God, who first defied his powerful arm, 

So oft subdued, now seems to yield the palm ; 

And rather than again oppose his will, 

Does Satan's work to keep old Satan still! 

Pray do not censure him who writes these lines ; 

It is not he who thus the Lord defines : 

But read the page with an unbiased mind, 

And more than here is penned, you there will find : 

All there may see that God in very deed, 

In Pharaoh's movements always took the lead, 

Ordained his course and nerved his hardened heart, 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 61 

That he could not from His decrees depart; 1 

That for this purpose God had raised him up, 

Aud deeply filled his burning, bitter cup ; 

That He in him might plainly show to man, 

An undisputed record of His plan ; 

And thus acquire a wondrous reputation 

Throughout the world, in every tribe and nation. 

As rivers run within their channels deep, 

'Mid flowery meads, or cataracts to leap, 

So Pharaoh, led by Him who shaped his mind, 

Could not forsake the path that was defined ; 

But gladly wound his way through weal and woe — 

Through storm and sunshine, facing every foe ; 

Yet strange to say, while serving God so well, 

The path he trod, should end in endless hell !) 

But Moses and his tribe with one accord, 2 
Proclaimed a glorious triumph of the Lord : 
Thus praised his name because their cruel 

foes 
Beneath the waves had found their last repose. 
" The ' Lord is our defense and man of war ; 
O praise His holy name forever more! 

1 Ex. ix. 16 ; Rom. ix. 17.— 2 Ex. xv. 1-10. 



62 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

For He in greatness, goodness, and in wrath, 
Consumes all foes, like stnbble in His path : 
And with the blasts that from His nostrils 

sweep, 
Walls in the floods, and stays the rolling 

deep. 

For the depths were congealed 

In the heart of the sea, 
And our path was revealed 
To the land of the free ! 
And as we safely reached the happy shore, 
Our foes pursued, but God, with one breath 

more, 
Released the flood, the restless foaming tide, 
Where Pharaoh and his hosts together died. 
O praise the Lord in one grand chorus swell, 
For saving us, and sending them to hell." 
Thus Moses sang on old Arabia's shore, 
While murdering waves their chimes of terror 

bore. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 63 



INTERLUDE. 

(All Israel now released from hostile foes, 

Exempt from Egypt's bondage and its woes, 

Breathed freedom's holy air, surcharged with hope, 

Amid Arabia's wilds with ample scope. 

This wand'ring' race — the chosen tribe of God, 

Still led by Moses, with his magic rod, 

Freed from the terrors of internal foes, 

With none but Satan left to interpose, 

Why may they not become a race more pure, 

If God hath power the devil to secure ; 

Or can to some extent His plans fulfill, 

If not to conquer Satan, keep him still ? 

We fain would hope at this eventful day, 

That Israel's God might have triumphant sway. 

But read the page, be honest while you seek, 

Nerved for the right, let truth and reason speak !) 

As Israel journeyed from the sea-girt shore, 1 
A hopeful future cheered them as before : 
But, sad to tell, they soon were plunged 
within 

1 Ex. xv. 22. 



64 VOICE OF SUPEPSTITIOK 

A dark abyss — the wilderness of Sin. 
Grieved to the heart, with lamentations wild, 
They sighed for mother Egypt like a child. 
" Oh ! would to heaven we had in Egypt died, 
By God's own hand, with flesh-pots by our 

side '} 
Is this the promised land for Israel's race — 
This wilderness of Sin, this dismal place ? 
Where gormand famine preys on old and 

young, 
And gives no drop to cool the burning tongue. 
Oh ! give us back our childhood's home again, 
With Egypt's plagues, with slavery's galling 

chain." 
Thus Israel murmured and with one accord 
They censured Aaron, Moses, and the Lord. 
To ease their hunger and appease their wrath, 
The showers of bread from heaven pursued 

their path ; 
And quails, most rich in flavor, winged their flight 

1 Ex. xvi. 3. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION, 65 

Around their tents before the hours of night. 1 
For forty years they were released from toil, 
Hot having need to cultivate the soil. 
God thus repealed His law, so gravely said, 
" With sweat upon thy face, shalt thou eat 
bread." 2 

INTERL VDE. 

(We do not choose in this our brief review, 
Their line of march in detail to pursue ; 
Nor trace all wayward paths these men have trod, 
Who charge their crimes upon their maker God : 
But glean enough to prove the Lord defined, 
Was but the passion of each writer's mind ; 
That all these tribes in this barbarian age, 
Reflect but their true image on each page ; 
That God of vengeance and of wrath unveils, 
Only as love within each spirit fails — 
And he who loves the Lord of Israel's race, 
In this enlightened age is out of place : 
He should have lived and died in ages past, 

1 Ex. xvi. 12, 13.— a Gen. iii. 19. 



QQ VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

Ere reason's light its golden hues had cast 
Where mortals sat in darkness, free from doubt, 
All dimly dreaming what they were about ; 
When light of science had no resting-place 
Within this half-developed human race. 
Reason ! in thy searchings look them out, 
Arouse their souls and make them dare to doubt ; 
Teach them to love, and only seek the truth, 
Though it may change all lessons taught in youth ; 
Throw off their shackles, set the trammeled free, 
And make them dare to think, and learn of thee !) 



While Israel (led by Moses) journeyed on, 
Before three months of forty years were gone, 1 
They all approached Mount Sinai's fearful base, 
Where God proposed to show his shining face. 
While camped near Sinai, Moses upward trod, 
And scaled the mountain height and called on 

God? 
Who well received him and rehearsed His deeds ; 
Spake of the present and of future needs : 
And said that Israel should behold His face, 3 

1 Ex. xix. I.— 2 xix. 3.— 3 six. 11-16. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 67 

'Mid fire and smoke His features they should 

trace. 
But all must wash and make their garments 

clean, 
Before the Lord on Sinai could be seen : 
Three days were granted by the Lord's decree, 
That they might one and all from filth be free. 
"When the third morning winged its silent 

round, 
Old Sinai's roaring thunders shook the ground, 
And forked lightning's lurid, leaping flame, 
Cat loose its reins and sped from whence it 

came, 
All Isreal now beheld with wond'ring eyes, 
The fire and smoke, while thunders shook the 

skies ; 
They stood amazed, yet sought in vain God's face, 
For neither form or feature could they trace. 

Hope thus deferred, well might their doubts arise 1 

1 Ex. sviii. 



68 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

And on reflection thus soliloquize ; 
"If this is Moses' God with such a face, 
He is not ours, in this, or any place ; 
If 'tis not God, then Moses did deceive, 
Or God hath said what we can not believe; 
Be as it may, the case to us is clear, 
A God like that we never can revere ; 
We would prefer a molten god by half, 
Though molded in the image of a calf." 1 



But strange to say that seventy-four in all, 2 
Went bravely up, and gave the Lord a call. 
They saw His feet, on pavement made of stone ; 
While all His form with heavenly clearness 

shone. 
God said to Moses, " Say to Israel's tribe, 
'T is my desire that they for me subscribe : 
I'll take of them what they may give to thee ; 
Gold, silver, brass, or any thing it be, 
Blue cloth or purple, goat's hair, too, is good, 

1 Ex. xxxii. 1-4. — 2 xxiv. 9-11. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 69 

Hams' skins in red, spices, and shittim wood." 
Much more He wished, and hoped that they 

would give, 
Beside a house, where He might come and live, 
To make His home and constant dwelling-place, 
Among these wayward tribes of Israel's race. 1 

INTERLUDE. 

world of mortals, men of high repute, 
Is this your God? speak — are you deaf and mute? 
If silence doth affirm, and yield consent, 
And from your thoughtless souls it giveth vent, 
Pray let me ask you to reflect a while, 
And see how Nature's God you all defile. 
Is this the Author of the beauteous earth? 
Who gave all other worlds their form and birth? 
Who made our stellar orbs that, one by one, 
Revolve in order round their parent sun ? 
Made worlds on worlds revolve around each star, 
In silent grandeur, all without a jar? 
Who marshalled all the giitt'ring orbs of light, 
Gave each its path, and never-ending flight ? 
1 Ex xxv. 1-9; xxix. 



70 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION,, 

Who cave to Saturn his concentric rings, 

Within whose golden bands he whirls and swings? 

Thus suns and systems tread the depths of space, 

And leave no tracks for other worlds to trace. 

Unending spheres revolve 'mid viewless skies, 
Till lost in thought, imagination dies ; 

Yet all united, all one law obey, 

Like little wheels that keep the time of day ; 

All speak one language to th' enraptured ear, 

To every clime, that nature's God is here: 

That He who governs all with constant cnre, 

Records his glorious image everywhere. 

O God of nature, infinite in power, 

Thy wisdom shines more radiant every hour; 

Yet none but Thou canst ever comprehend 

Thy wondrous works, though ages never end. 

Thy boundless being circles all extent, 

Thy will, all worlds and beings represent; 

The viewless shores of Thine eternal sea, 

Are gemmed with worlds that know no God but 

Thee. 
Yet thoughtless, weak, irreverential man, 
Hath such delusive vision of Thy span, 
That he would measure Thee with square and rule, 
As he now takes dimensions of a mule ; 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. q\ 

Hath such uncouth conceptions of thy head, 
He makes Thee covet ram skins dyed in red ; 
Would wall Thy boundless limits to a house, 
As children capture and incage a mouse !) 

But Moses tarried long on Sinai's mount; 1 
For which delay they could not well account ; 
And fearing he might not return again, 
And as desires to see the Lord proved vain, 
The people said, " Up, Aaron ! make a god 
To lead us on, like Moses with his rod." 
So Aaron — like the priests of modern times, 
Who preach for gold, or even for the dimes, 
And to this end preach what the people will, 
Or any god, so they but get their fill — 
Obeyed their voice, their most preposterous plea, 
And made a god, that they could feel and see, 
Of golden rings, from out their jeweled ears, 
A molten god, of which they had no fears. 2 
When Aaron smoothed it off with graven tool, 
He told them with an air of truth so cool, 

1 Ex.xxxii. 1. — 2 . sxsii. 2, 3. 



72 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

" This is the god that took direct command, 
That led you forth from Egypt's darkened 

land ;" 
Then built an altar, made a proclamation, 
Declared the calf the god of all that nation. 1 

When Moses' God the golden calf beheld, 
And saw the people joyfully impelled 
To bow before this legged lump of gold, 
And that by such a calf His throne was sold. 
He said to Moses, " Get thee down, I pray, 
The people have departed from their way f 
Let me alone to act my chosen part, 
And sate the vengeance of my burning heart, 
For all my wrath against them waxed hot, 
And I'll consume them all upon the spot ; 
But out of thee I'll make a nation great — 
Restore the race to its primeval state." 3 

But Moses, not elated by this plea, 

1 Ex. xxxii.4,5.-- 8 xxxii. 7, 8.— 9 xxxii. 10, 11. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 73 

Would not consent to let Jehovah be; 
But chose to pacify His wrathful zeal, 
And thus addressed Him till he made Him 

feel: 
" If thus Thine anger bums and waxes hot, 
And sure destruction is their doleful lot, 
All Egypt then will speak, and justly say, 
That Grod designed His people here to slay. 
Turn from Thy fearful wrath, at once repent 
Before Thy vengeance is on Israel spent; 
Remember Abraham, and Isaac too ; 
And what Thou swearest by Thyself to do — 
To multiply their seed like stars of heaven ; 
A promised land by Thee to them be given; 
And all their seed inherit it forever, 
From which no power their title deed should 

sever." ' 

Thus Moses intercepts Him in the path, 
Controls His will, and stays that awful wrath. 

1 Ex. xxxii. 11-13. 



74 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

And God repents of evil thought to do, 
And spares the golden calf and Israel too. 1 

The Lord diverted from such fearful ways, 
The threatened vengeance for a while delays; 
Then Moses turning from Him left the mount, 
Came down to Israel from the fiery fount, 
"With stones, containing God's divine command, 
All written o'er, within his grasping hand : 
Approaching Israel, songs salute his ear; 
The merry dance was seen as he drew near ; 
The golden calf appeared amid the throng, 
And all the air re-echoed with their song. 

Now Moses/though, he preached to God so well, 
To save this people and His wrath expel, 
Forgot the lesson of an hour before, 
And all its moral import did ignore; 
His anger, like a rising, rushing tide, 
Or red-hot lava from a mountain side, 

1 Ex. xxxii. 14. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 75 

Leaped from the slumbers of its quiet rest, 
And roused a deadly demon in his breast ! 
"While in this awful plight with God's great law, 
Celestially engraved without a flaw, 
Select as every letter thus must be, 
As specimen of God's chirography, 
He dashed the graven record from his hands, 
And broke in fragments the divine commands, 1 
Then grabbed the calf, impelled by heated ire, 
And cast the golden image in the Are. 2 

The Lord perceiving Moses in such plight, 
Employs his wrath to instigate a fight; 
To arm each son and speed him on the way, 
With sword in hand a demon to portray; 
Each to his brother, his companion, friend, 
A crimson tide from every heart to send. 3 

Now Moses, in his wrathful mood, obeyed ; 
Did not oppose, nor was God's will delayed, 

1 Ex. xxxii. 15-19.— 2 xxxii. 20.— 3 xxxii. 27. 



76 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

But quickly armed his men for deadly fight, 
And waged a bloody combat with delight. 
There fell three thousand, as the record stands, 1 
Of friends and kindred by the Lord's commands : 
Thus broke Himself His law, " Thou slialt not 

kill," 
On stones engraved;, the record of His will. 2 
If He repented in the other place, 
He surely must have " fallen now from grace." 
And soon from polished etiquette departs — 
Conceals His face, but shows His hindmost parts ! s 

This ancient God, the pattern of that age, 
So oft misled by fierce vindictive rage, 
Records His law in chapters long and dry, 
Which all can read, we therefore pass them by : 
But after full directions what to eat, 
And which must be refused in kinds of meat, 
How strange the record seems while there we 
read, 

1 Ex. xxxii. 28.— - xx. 13. — 3 xxxiii. 23. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 77 

That God Himself commands the heinous deed 
To eat the flesh of their own children dear, 
If they did not His horrid laws revere ! x 

This God, who also said, " Thou shalt not kill," 
Directed Moses to revoke His will, 
And raise a mighty army fierce and bold, 
Six hundred thousand strong in numbers told; 
To plunge the naked sword and javelin 
Against a race of men they had not seen. 
This mighty army numb'ring every soul 
From age of twenty on their muster roll, 2 
Now left the Mount and took unmeasured route, 
Through trackless wilds with mingled hope and 

doubt. 
And as time's restless tide sped swiftly on, 
Upon whose rolling waves they all were borne, 
They often murmured at the hand of fate, 
That led them safely through the Red Sea 

gate. 

1 Lev. sxvi. 29.— 2 Num. i. 1. — 46. 



78 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

In vain they wished, in spite of qnails and bread, 
Which heaven in rich abundance freely shed, 
That they had all remained in Egypt's land, 
Where hardened Pharaoh ruled with iron hand. 
But still they journeyed on from year to year, 
And yet their promised land did not appear. 
Then God directed Moses in this wise — ■ 
"Go seek the promised land by sending spies." 
Thus twelve departed, one from every band, 
To search for " Canaan's fair and happy land !" 
For forty days they sought but all in vain ; 
When each returned to Israel's tribe again. 
A part described a land of milk and honey; 
With cities large that cost a "mint of money." 
But all the rest declared that "giants large, 
Ate human flesh — the subjects of their charge ; 
If we should fall within their ruling power, 
Our armies would be swallowed in an hour." 1 

With these reports conflicting in their ears, 

1 Num. xiii. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 79 

Amid their hopes, arose perplexing fears ; 
And all the night the congregation cried — 
"Oh, would that we had all in Egypt died! 
"We'll make another captain and return." 
Thus did their murmuring hearts for Egypt burn.' 

God now in wrath rebukes these homesick 

souls, 
And like an avalanche His anger rolls; 
And threatens with a pestilential stroke, 
To disinherit all who thus provoke. 2 

Again the meek high priest, as oft before, 
Approached the Lord, and thus he did im- 
plore : 
" If Thou do thus, all Egypt then will hear, 
And speak of it in everybody's ear ; 
For they have heard of Thee throughout the 

place, 
And of my talking with Thee face to face ; 

1 Num. xiv. 1-4.— s xiv. 11, 12. 



80 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

And of the cloud that led them forth by day, 
And fire by night to light their darkened way. 
Now if Thou slay them all, where is Thy fame 
Among the people who have heard Thy name? 
They then will say, what God had sworn to do, 
He failed for want of power and wisdom too ; 
And as He could not lead them in His way, 
To stop defeat, He did all Israel slay." 1 

This nattering speech was all that then was 

needed, 
For to it all God willingly acceded. 2 

So Israel journeyed on to Edom's land, 

And fought their way with bloody sword in 

hand : 
But much disheartened for the want of meat, 
Arid having naught but loathsome bread to eat, 
It was not strange that they should now com- 
plain, 

1 Num. xiv. 13-17. — 2 xiv. 20. 



voice of superstition: 81 

When God could send them bread and quails 

like rain, 
And thus relieve them in their starving plight, 
They having served the Lord in every fight ; 
While hunger gnawed 'twas human to com- 
plain, 
Yet all their bitter cries and tears were vain, 
.For God, instead of granting their desire, 
Sent poison serpents, made of flaming fire. 

While thus tormented, and with sinking heart, 
They prayed the heinous reptiles might depart; 
But no — God let the vampires live and bite; 
They did His work, which gave Him great 

delight '} 
For though they brought but death and dark 

despair, 
'Twas sweet revenge to force the bill of fare: 
And did not practice what He since hath said, 
"If foes are hungered, let them all be fed." 2 

1 Num. sxi. 6. — ~ Rom. xii. 20, 
4* 



82 VOIGE OF SUPERSTITION. 

Amid their torment and distressing fear, 
All prayers were vain, that snakes might dis- 
appear ; 
Yet God but mocks their agonizing prayer, 
And hangs a brazen serpent high in ah' ; 
That all that snakes had bitten might, alas ! 
Yet live, by seeing Satan cut in brass! 
But stranger still, the image of the devil, 
Is foreordained, to rescue man from evil ! 
Thus Satan's form before so much despised, 
God now respects ; this can not be disguised. 1 

But Israel fought their passage day by day, 
And paved with human skulls their winding way ; 
The crimson tide yet stains the " sacred page," 
While God ignites the flames of deathly rage: 
Yea, human slaughter, forced by His decree, 
Baptizes earth amid a bloody sea. 
Read but the page how Midian's hosts were 
slain, 

1 Num. xxi. 7-10. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 83 

And death's dark mantle veiled the gory 

plain ; 
"Where every male, from hoary age to youth, 
"Was murdered in the name of God and truth j 1 
And every female who had known a man, 
Was doomed to die, by God's remorseless plan ; 
Though her warm love in one pure channel 

flowed, 
And by a holy union was bestowed, 2 
Affection deep availed no more than hate, 
For every loving wife but shared the fate 
To swell the bloody wave, the lukewarm tide, 
While God beheld the scene and did preside. 
But this is not the whole, though dark the 

tale ; 
Oh, would that pen could penetrate the veil, 
Disclose the wrongs that broke poor woman's 

heart, 
Exposed her shame, with none to take her 

part. 

1 Num. xxxu 1. — 2 sssi. IT. 



84 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

Each virgin was disrobed by bloody sires, 
To gratify their lusts and base desires ! 
For every woman who knew not a man, 
Was doomed to live by this licentious clan, 
And made to suffer shame to such degree, 
That death in mercy would have set them 

free I 1 
Yet God commanded all these awful deeds, 
If He be not misjudged, for thus it reads, 
And shared with them the booty and the 

glory- 
Thus ends this false and inconsistent story. 
With more than thirty thousand virgins spared, 
God two from every thousand with them 

shared ! 2 
Of all the sheep, almost a countless throng, 
His rightful portion was twelve thousand 

strong. 3 
Large herds of cattle stand in open view, 
Of which the Lord accepted thirty-two, 4 

'Num. xxxL 13. — 3 xxxi. 40. — 3 xxsi. 37. — 4 xxxi. 38. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 85 

The asses next divided, all was done, 
God's share of these was only sixty-one. 1 

Fair Canaan's race next feels celestial wrath, 
And sure destruction follows in their path. 
All who survive, His vengeance will destroy, 
With stinging hornets giving Israel joy.* 

Next comes God's lesson in unwholesome meat, 
Instructing Israel what they should not eat; 
" Of beasts that die of poison or disease 
If you should eat 'twill kill by slow degrees. 
But give or sell for food to passers-by, 
To strangers in the gate, though they may die ! 
For thou so holy to the Lord thy God, 
May poison any stranger from abroad." 34 

The Lord now seems to love His chosen race, 
Calls them a holy people to their face. 

1 Num. xxxi. 89. — 2 Deut. vii. 20. — s xiv. 21. 

4 I was a stranger and ye took me in ! — Mat. xxv. 35. 



86 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

How changed in tone from passage near a 

hand, 
"Where God to Moses issues a command, 
"To take His chosen leaders every one, 
And hang their heads on high against the 

sun — 
Before His face, to hang no other way, 
That His fierce anger might not longer stay." l 
If this command was really obeyed, 
And every head against the sun was staid, 
Their heads and necks (as they survived the 

shock) 
Must have been made of quite superior stock. 
Be as it may, if God from wrath was cured 
By this device, the pain was well endured. 
But as we turn our eyes from page to page, 
He yet is armed with stern vindictive rage/ 
Possessing passions of a demon dire, 
A jealous God with anger mixed with fire. 3 
With flames decending to the lowest hell, 

1 Num. xxv. 4. — 2 Deut. xxxii. 21. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 87 

Now dooms His children He had loved so 

well : 
Heaps mischief on them all, with arrows sped, 
To fly at random from his storming head. 
His anger still with wild excitement burns, 1 
On every phase of human life it turns, 
Devouring hunger, and the flames of heat, 
With bitter death doth all their hopes defeat ; 
The teeth of beasts shall come upon them all, 
And poison serpents round them bite and 

crawl. 
The sword of death no age nor station spares, 
Young men nor maidens, sucklings, nor gray 

hairs. 2 

But Moses now, with Canaan full in view, 
With one fond look, must bid the land adieu. 
The dropping sands of time through weary years, 
"With blighted hopes and mingled doubts and 
fears, 

1 Deut. sxxii. 22, 23.— 3 xxxii. 24, 25. 



88 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

Have chilled the blood that fired his youthful 

hand, 
And changed his footsteps to a better land. 
Thus Moses yielded up his mortal life, 
And bid adieu to that dark age of strife. 1 

So ended Moses and his sad career; 
But now his bold successor doth appear, 
To lead the tribes in their appointed way, 
The son of Nun, whose name was Joshua. 2 
While thus commissioned with command entire, 
He sent two spies full knowledge to acquire. 
To Jericho they quickly did repair, 
And with a harlot took their lodgings there. 9 

As men are judged by company they keep, 
The king concluded he would take a peep 
At these suspicious men, who pleasure sought. 
Where empty bubbles are so dearly bought. 
But Rahab (being such the harlot's name) 

1 Deut. xxxiv. 1, 5. — 2 Josh. i.=- 3 ii. 1. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 89 

Concluded she would foil Mm in his game, 
And told the king the men had gone their 

way — 
Passed through the gate, when evening closed 

the day. 
She now to make them safe her wits did tax, 
And hid them on the roof among the flax. 1 

When twilight shadows veiled the distant 

plain, 
And hung their sable curtains o'er the main, 
When all was hushed in quiet peaceful rest, 
Except the throbbings of her anxious breast, 
She went upon the roof without a fear, 
That capped the borders of the city here, 
With cord in hand — with muscles firm and true 
She let them down, their journey to pursue. 2 
They safely wound their way to Israel's tribes; 
Their three days' mountain range no pen 

describes. 

1 Josh. ii. 2-6.— 2 ii. 15. 



90 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

To Joshua they did enough reveal, 

To fire his passions with unholy zeal. 

"Who, with his tribes faced Jordan's rolling 

tide, 
Its deep intruding waters he defied. 
The priests, with ark of covenant before, 
"Walked through dry shod, and reached the other 

shore ; 
The hosts of Israel followed one and all, 
While Jordan, like an adamantine wall, 
Piled high its limpid waves without a fall! 
Thus safely inarched the tribes from shore to 

shore, 
Like passing through the space where swings 

a door. 1 

To make this record true among the nations 
In coming years to future generations, 
They took twelve stones from out the channel 
deep, 

1 Josh. iii. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 91 

And left them where they tarried first to sleep ; 

The stones should there remain, as proof for- 
ever, 

To mark the spot where Israel crossed the 
river. 1 

This wondrous tale we may believe or not, 

For who hath seen the stones, or found the spot ! 

Ordained of God to wade in human gore, 
His vengeance feasted now, as oft before ; 
Men, women, children, aged, all were slain, 2 
Their supplications rent the air in vain. 
But there was one more favored than the rest, 
Whom Joshua and all his legions blest ; 
Her life was guarded well with anxious care, 
"While carnage hushed the wailings of despair. 3 
And yet this favored one, oh, strange to tell, 
Was but a prostitute they loved so well. 
God chose these tribes to represent His will, 
They chose a harlot, and He loved them still, 

1 Josh. iv. 3-9.— 2 vi. 21.— 3 21-25. 



92 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

And yet sustained this base and cruel throng, 
Whose deeds are praised in story and in song. 1 
This mighty army under God's command, 
"Was first on earth that had a music-band, 
Composed of priests, with rains' horns seven of 

each, 
Enough all tones in music's scale to reach. 
This frightful chorus led the winding way, 
And round and round the city walls did play; 
For seven long days they blew their awful 

blast, 
"While on the seventh, they seven times round 

it passed ; 
With thirteen rounds they rent the burdened 

air, 
Like frenzied fiends from regions of despair ; 
No wonder that the walls of Jericho, 
In their imploring attitude laid low. 2 
Though they defied the gnawing tooth of 

time, 

1 Josh. xxi. 21.— 2 vL 13-20. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 93 

They bowed submissive at this awful chime ! 
Then leaped these thirsty tribes for human 

blood 
Within the walls where this doomed city stood. 

INTERLUDE. 

(Oh, can it be that men revere the page, 

And take tbeir lessons from that barbarous age, 

Where God lays bare His arm from shore to shore, 

That men may murder those unknown before, 

And save the only one they ever knew — 

A harlot, for that vile, licentious crew, 

Yet represents that God sustains it all, 

Though by their hands all but herself may fall? 

I may believe that rams' horns shook the ground, 

That massive walls from their foundation bound, 

Or that the earth itself turned inside out, 

When priests with rams' horns mingled in the shout, 

But never can I entertain the thought, 

A " God of love " these horrid scenes hath wrought.) 

But deeds of death still paint the page, 
And God of Israel, full of rage, 
Yet urges on His heartless band, 



94 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

To desolate that happy land. 

To Ai next the Lord said, Go, 

And shroud the land in death and woe, 

As dark as hung o'er Jericho. 

Thus thirty thousand armed for fight, 

By Joshua were sent at night ; 

And by a bold strategic plan, 

They took the life of every man, 

Except the king, they saved alive, 

But if he had a hope revive, 

They soon the rising impulse checked, 

And showed him what he might expect ; 

They hung him high upon a tree, 

The first that they perchance did see. 1 

The Gibeonites with one accord, 2 

Now joined with Israel and the Lord, 

To save their royal cities strong, 

That they their lives might thus prolong. 

Five kings then made their armies one, 

1 Josh. viii. 28, 29.— * ix. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 95 

Declaring war on Gibeon : 

In hopes that they with one accord, 

Might scatter all their foes abroad. 

But Gibeon's united host, 

And Father, Son, and Holy Ghost 

(If three are one, and one is three, 

Then God alone is Trinity), 

With Joshua were all combined, 

That desolation now might wind 

Its fearful path among the kings, 

To slay them all like little things. 

And for this end, to make it sure, 

The Lord from heaven, Himself secure, 

Seut down large stones their blood to shed, 

And strewed the ground with countless dead. 

Then held the golden orb of day, 

That round our planet seems to play ; 

Thus barred the sable veil of night, 

While He with pleasure held the light, 

1 Josh. x. 1-11. 



96 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

To strengthen and protract the fight, 

To see the fount of human gore, 

Its still-increasing flood out pour. 1 

The rolling waves extended wide, 

"With desolation on the tide, 

"While o'er the scene He did preside 

Their mournful cries the breezes bore, 

He-echoed on the distant shore. 

Thus fell Makkedah in its bloom, 

And Libnah, Gezer, shared the doom, 

"While Eglon, Hebron, Debir, all 

Alike were doomed, alike did fall. 

Through all the country of the hills, 

Among the vales and laughing rills, 

All forms of life that breathed were slain, 

In this most dark and fearful reign. 2 

On details here I need not dwell, 
For pen can never trace nor tell 
The thoughts that in my bosom swell : 

1 Josh. x. 12-14.— 2 x. 28-43. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 9? 

I can not paint their deeds in rhyme, 
ISTo more than measure space and time. 
And yet they seemed to serve the Lord, 
Who blessed them with a great reward, 
And gladly stayed the rolling sun, 
To see their bloody work well done. 

INTERLUDE. 

(They knew not God, nor knew His law 
That moves all worlds without a flaw : 
They thought the earth on pillars stood, 1 
That ever held it firm and good ; 
But never seemed to think it best, 
To tell on what the pillars rest. 
They thought the sun that decks the sky, 
In all his majesty on high, 
Revolved in his appointed way, 
Around the earth by night and day ; 
Ne'er dreaming that the sun stood still, 
And earth revolved with matchless skill. 
They thought the stellar worlds of light 
That cheer the silent hours of night, 
Were made in feeble light to burn, 

1 1 Bam. ii. S. 



98 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

To serve our purpose in their turn. 
They thought that God who rules above, 
With truth and wisdom, peace and love, 
Who hath but one revokeless aim, 
Through all eternity the same, 
Was but the servant of their race, 
Who talked with Moses face to face, 
And would defend his wayward seed, 
And share with them each wicked deed. 
Though dark this age, let joy awake, 
That some have learned their sad mistake.) 



Now Joshua, the son of Nun, 1 
Who did presume to hold the sun, 
Could not revoke time's onward tide, 
And at five-score and ten he died : 
While Judali next, at God's command, 
Was made the ruler of the land. 2 

May we not hope for better days? 
That peace may shed her genial rays? 
And deeds of love each soul employ, 

^osh. xxv. 29.— 2 Jud. i. 2. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 99 

To light their future paths with joy? 
But, lo ! a dark and frowning page 
B-eveals a God yet full of rage, 
"Who pours the caldrons of His wrath, 
And fills with death fair Canaan's path. 
The early record of his reign, 
Bears witness of ten thousand slain : 
Of those not numbered with the dead, 
"Were seventy kings, who quickly fled ; 
But they were not allowed repose, 
But were deprived of thumbs and toes, 1 
Which were cut off in their retreat, 
And gathered up in piles of meat. 
For all these deeds God was delighted, 
And by Himself they were requited. 2 

"With God's approval thus elated, 
His bloody reign was not abated ; 
But quickly with his fiendish crew, 
He every soul at Zephath slew ; 3 

1 Jud. i. 4.-— 2 i. 7.— 3 i. 17. 



100 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

Then wound his way along the coast, 1 
With his infernal bloody host; 
And Gaza, Ekron, Askelon, 
Were rendered hopeless and forlorn. 
They scaled the rugged mountain height, 2 
And chased the people in their flight; 
The Lord was with them day by day, 
To scatter death along their way. 

When God and Judah reached the valley, 
They found the people there to rally ; 
With iron chariots now at hand, 
They made a bold successful stand, 3 
Defying all the Lord's command. 
In deeds of death until this hour, 
While seeming leagued with Satan's power, 
No force or bars impede their way, 
To check their passage night or day; 
The rolling deep subdued his wrath, 
And bared his bosom for their path; 

i jud. i. is.- 2 i. i9.- 3 i. 19. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 101 

While Jordan's dark resistless tide, 

"Was in their pathway quickly dried, 

And stood a wall on either side; 

The sturdy walls of Jericho, 

Were by the breath of priests laid low; 

The golden orb that rules the day, 

Was forced his journey to delay ; 

While sighs and groans of thousands slain. 

Commingled in their onward train : 

Thus Mind success would seem to say, 

All forces must their will obey. 

But Satan, gorged with sin and blood, 

Eesolved to stay the swelling flood, 

And by his tactics kindly planned, 

To bless with peace the stricken land : 

His schemes so clouded by disguise, 

That God was taken by surprise. 

Thus iron chariots now defied 

All Israel's force and God beside. 

And once again He is defeated, 

Which had so often been repeated. 



102 VOICE OF SUPERSTITIOK 

INTERLUDE. 

(If they with God could not approach, 
That ancient, iron, one-horse coach, 
What could they do 'gainst Yankee lads, 
With Parrott guns and iron-clads ?) 

By this defeat the contest was suspended, 
All hope to rule the Canaanites seemed ended ; 
And Israel's tribes were left to choose their 

way, 
To serve the Lord, or other gods obey. 
Once free to act, they mingled with their foes, 
While peace and concord soon dispelled their 

woes. 
They left the God of battle and defeat, 
That He might not His deeds of death repeat : 
The battle-cry was hushed, no fierce alarm 
Disturbed the day, no nightly foes to harm ; 
But peace now smiles with unmistaken love, 
And joy awakes like joys that are above. 1 

1 Judges i. 3-6. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 103 

They took each other's daughters and their sons, 
And bound their union with their little ones ; 
A happy change delights each passing hour; 
]STo angry God usurps vindictive power. 
Who then can blame them in this happy day, 
If Israel's God they chose to disobey? 
A God who evil did Himself create ; 
Chose lying spirits in their dark estate, 
To execute His base and dire control 
Upon an unoffending harmless soul; 
Thus giving license to the powers of evil, 
And doing work that ought to shame the 
Devil. 

Honest reader do not chide me, 
Tor the Bible is beside me, 
And I will transcribe with care, 
Giving verse and chapter there. 

The Lord was seated on His throne most high, 1 

1 1 Kings, sxii. 19-22. 



IQ4: VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

And all the heavenly hosts were passing by, 

While thus unto the people He did call: 

"Who will persuade Ahab that he may fall?" 

One and another in their way replied, 

But one and all alike were each denied; 

Until a lying spirit came and stood, 

In vile audacity before the Lord, 

Yet on the Lord such good impression made, 

He put all other applicants in shade: 

For he assured the Lord that he would lie, 

And to His prophets would the truth deny: 

The Lord delighted, said, "Thou wilt prevail, 

Go forth with lying tongue thou shall not fail / ' 

While thus the Lord was moved in the 

direction 
Of having for a liar such affection, 
He all His prophets' mouths at once did fill 1 
With lying spirits who obeyed His will. 
God gave unholy statutes to deceive, 

i JLings, xstl. 23. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 105 

And judgments under which they could not 

live. 
And David, said to be of God's own heart, 
• As such in cruel deeds performed his part, 
By forcing Ammon's children, without cause, 
Beneath the teeth of harrows and of saws. 1 
Their reeking flesh next met the iron ax, 
Then in the kilns of fire were burned like 

flax; 2 
All Ammon's cities shared this horrid fate, 
Which pen can never paint nor tongue 

relate. 
No line or word of censure can we trace, 
In its connection, or in any place. 
Thus David acted his ignoble part, 
And proved himself " a man of God's own 

heart." ' 

Again I ask, "Who, then can blame 
A nation bowed with grief, 

1 2 Sam. xii. 31.— a 1 Chron. xx. 2, 3.— 'Acts, xiii. 22, 
5* 



106 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

For seeking gods of higher aim, 
To find with them relief, 

Where peace might smooth their thorny path, 

And light some joyous way; 
Where kindly words displacing wrath, 

Might cheer them day by day? 

But sad their hopes, how quickly turned 

Their day to dismal night; 
For Godly wrath yet hotly burned, 

With its vindictive might. 

God sold them to their foes for slaves, 1 
Where lingering hope might die ; 

Then tortured them to death's dark waves, 
And scorned their bitter cry. 

Thus Abraham's "unnumbered" race, 
God's loved and chosen seed, 

1 Judges, ii. 1 4 ; x. 1, 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 107 

To people every land and place, 
The ensign of His creed, 

Are now abandoned to their fate, 
!Nay more — to meet His wrath, 

With maledictions of His hate, 
Converging in their path. 

Thus God's great plan hath wholly failed, 

Which clearly is revealed; 
His rival having e'er prevailed 

In each contested field. 

Thus Satan, with unnumbered throng, 

Embracing tribes and nations, 
God's former hope, His joy and song, 

Of many generations, 

Are now within the Devil's clasp, 

Obedient to his will, 
Who holds them all within his grasp, 

His purpose to fulfill. 



108 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

And jet it seems a peaceful reign 
Would be the Devil's choice ; 

If undisturbed he could remain, 
And none oppose his voice ; 

For who can read that he hath waged 

A war on any nation ? 
Or even hath his foes outraged, 

In any generation ? 

But like a worthy, peaceful king, 
"Whose throne seemed quite unshaken, 

Devised the good and useful thing, 
To have the census taken. 

King David yielded his command 

"With cheerful resignation, 
And freely gave his willing hand 

To Satan's wise vocation. 

Thus David numbered Israel's seed — l 

1 1 Chron. xsi. 1, 2 ; xxvii. 2. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 1Q9 

This sore afflicted race, 
By which lie saw who were in need, 
Or had no resting place. 

An act that nations justify, 

Where civil laws prevail, 
Of which their records testify ; 

Then why should God bewail ? 

Though Satan took the census first, 

Should envious hate pursue it ? 
Whatever is good, should not be cursed, 

No matter who may do it. 

But David well performed his part, 

While servant of the Devil ; 
And numbered all with cheerful heart, 

Without apparent evil. 

No doubt he loved his new employ, 
For which he had great cause ; 



HO VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

For righteous deeds bring peace and joy, 
Compared to kilns and saws 

By which he murdered helpless man, 

Impelled by God's intent, 
As part of His vindictive plan 

To torture and torment. 

God's former host, and chosen seed, 

Were few and far between, 
While those who were to take the lead, 

With open foes were seen. 

Yet God to make his numbers great, 1 
Called every man a hundred ; 

Which makes it plain why He should hate 
To have them rightly numbered. 

For which He was so much displeased, 
His vengeance spoke again, 

1 1 Chron. xxh 3. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. \\\ 

By blood would only be appeased, 
To flood the earth like rain. 

Three forms of death from which to choose, 1 

Laid David in great strait, 
For he could only two refuse, 

Hence one must be his fate. 

First, three years' famine in the land, 

With starving, ling'ring death ; 
Or die by foes with sword in hand, 

"With three years' lease on breath ; 

Or three days' vengeance of the Lord, 

Throughout fair Israel's coast, 
Or pestilence so wide and broad, 

Of which a fiend could boast. 

He soon decides, though in a strait, 2 
"Within God's hands to fall ; 

1 1 Chrou. xxi. 10.— 2 xxi. 13. 



112 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

In hope that mercies very great, 
Might save himself and all. 

But hope for mercy was in vain, 1 

For pestilential ire 
Baptizes seventy thousand slain, 

Fulfilling God's desire. 

An angel next in God's command, 
Commissioned with His wrath, 

Came down to desolate the land, 
And darken every path. 

Jerusalem in all its pride, 

"Was also doomed to fall ; 
Her streets to bear a crimson tide. 

And float a funeral pall. 

But David now their cause did plead, 2 
And said it was not they, 

1 1 Chron. xxl 14— a xri. 15-17. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 113 

"Who counted Israel's wayward seed, 
Then why this people slay? 

'Twas I who numbered Israel's race. 

Slay me, if any one ; 
Or strike my father's resting place, 

For justice should be done. 

This little speech assuaged the Lord, 

Who now perceived His error, 
His angel sheathed his thirsty sword, 

And calmed the raging terror. 

Thus while the wailings of despair 

"Were being hushed in death, 
God's voice electrifies the air 

With warm repenting breath. 

At once He gave the countermand, 1 
Revoking His decree, 

1 1 Chron. xxi. 15. 



114 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

"It is enough, stay now thy hand, 
And set the remnant free." 



Thus God miscounts, decrees, abates, 

Repents of maddened rage, 
And clusters these conflicting traits, 

On one recorded page. 

INTERLUDE. 

(O God of love — the Father of the race, 
Whose kindly care pervades all time and space, 
Whose will is law, through all extent the same, 
Whose law is changeless as Thy holy name ; 
Whose throne and central point is everywhere ; 
Who giveth unto each Thy constant care ; 
Teach us to know, and love Thee as Thou art; 
That Thou canst not from laws ordained depart; 
That plans matured ere time's old march began, 
Are yet the same unchanged and changeless plan; 
That worlds and systems in their wondrous rounds, 
Have their rotation, circuit, laws, and bounds ; 
That every soul is molded by Thy hand; 
Its being, end, and aim by Thee was planned; 



VOICE of superstition: 115 

That all alike are agents of Thy will, 
Thy grand design and noble end fulfill. 
"We love, God ! to venerate Thy name, 
But feel that Moses' God is not the same, 
Or if the same, wert then misunderstood 
By those who were considered wise and good. 



It seems that every creed or tribe of earth, 
Conceives a god, and gives Him form and birth, 
Possessing all the traits of every tribe ; 
Thus while portraying God, themselves describe ; 
And as they each advance in reason's light, 
And have more just conceptions of the right, 
A god of like improvement then appears, 
Reflecting still their passions, loves, and fears; 
Then let us turn from that benighted age, 
When God, a jealous God, was fired with rage ; 
And may diviner wisdom from above, 
Expand our souls to see a God of love.) 



But progress ever marks each, day and age, 
And sheds some light on Israel's darkened page. 
Thus Jeremiah in his best estate, 1 

1 Jer. ii. 



116 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

Saw God divested of His wrath and hate; 
Who with a kind, expostulating air, 
Now pleads for Israel with a Father's care ; 
And for a season uses moral suasion 
To reinstate His wayward Jewish nation. 
But knowing Him so well, so long of old, 
They could with little grace His plea behold; 
And chose to lead a less eventful life, 
Free from oppression and the field of strife. 

Their non-compliance with the Lord's request 
Awoke the slumb'ring anger in His breast, 
And like a lion from a sweet repose. 
"With fresh vehemence, grapples with His foes. 
The very thunderbolts of heaven are hurled, 
To scourge the face of a defenseless world ; 
The elements of vengeance, death and hate 
(A fearful compound in the aggregate), 
Swept man and beast and every thing around, 
Including trees, and fruit upon the ground. 1 

1 Jer. vii. 10. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. \\<J 

The voice of gladness and the voice of mirth, 
No longer mingled round the social hearth ; 
The bride and bridegroom mutely shared the fate 
Of lands and cities, all made desolate : J 
To strangers' arms their wives did God condemn, 
And fields to others to inherit them. 2 

Ezekiel next takes up the sad refrain, 
"While peace and love evoke their gentle reign ; 
But God resolved with sword of death in hand, 
To cut the good and bad from off the land; 
That every soul may know that He, the Lord, 
"Will not unto its sheath return the sword; 3 
His indignation on them all will pour, 
And blow His heated wrath from shore to 

shore. 4 
All left of Israel's house He counts as dross ; 
Hence to consume them all will be no loss ; 5 
And as they gather silver, brass, and tin, 
And with a furnace melt it deep within, 

1 Jer. vii. 34.— 9 viii. 1.— 3 Ezck. x:d. 3-5.-4 xxi. 31.— b xxii. 18. 



118 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

So will He gather them with vengeance dire, 
And blast them with unceasing flaming 

fire; 
And when these elements of death are felt, 
He then will leave them in the flames to melt, 
That they may know that He, the Lord, doth 

pour 
His fury on them as in days of yore. 1 

Fair Zidon next shall bathe in human blood, 
That He, the Lord, may there be understood. 2 

The land of Egypt shall be desolate, 
And share with others His vindictive hate: 
God with a net, will circle them around, 
Then leave them all to die upon the ground, 
The fowls of heaven, and beasts of all the 

earth, 
Of ev'ry climate, longitude, and birth, 
Are all invited by His fiendish will, 

1 Ezek. xxii. 20-23.— 2 xxviii. 22, 23. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 119 

From piles of human flesh to eat their fill ! 
Who but a demon could this feast prepare- 
Invite these guests to such a bill of fare, 
And look with pleasure on such fell de- 
spair % 



INTERLUDE. 

(0 poor, deluded, superstitious men, 

If Satan does the like, do tell rue when ; 

If God is falsely charged in this strange tale, 

Then own the truth, that justice may prevail. 

Why hug delusion, till its rotten core 

Is seen, and felt, by all who dare explore? 

"Why not defend the truth, and shame the lie, 

And vindicate the ways of God most high?) 



Sun, moon, and stars refused to give their light, 
And veiled their faces from the awful sight. 
Throughout the country all that did remain, 
Both man and beasts, were by their maker slain. 



120 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

When I, the Lord, make Egypt desolate, 
And scourge the land once full, with famine 

great, 
"When I shall smite all those that therein 

dwell 
(Of course lie sends their wayward souls to 

hell), 
Then will they know Me, as in former days, 
For none but God this character displays. 1 

Next Gog and Magog must His vengeance 

share, 
And writhe in cruel death and dark despair: 
Without tribunal or assigning cause, 
God forces iron hooks into their jaws ; 
Then follow deeds that demons should despise, 
To sanctify His name before their eyes. 
Oh, who can estimate the blood He shed, 
When seven long months would scarce inter 

the dead ! 

'Ezek.xxxii. 3-15. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 121 

"Thus will His holy name be magnified," 
And by a nation's murder " sanctified," 
And boasts of being Israel's Holy One, 
While by these deeds He makes Himself thus 

known ; x 
For by His fruits must God Himself be 

seen, 
As all are judged from peasant to the 

queen. 
But many heinous deeds I must pass o'er, 
And leap stale quagmires filled with human 

gore. 

INTERL UDE. 

(O ye blind guides, pray tell mo, if you can, 
Where Satan ever sought the life of man? 
Much less to torture with vindictive wrath, 
And scatter death through every winding path. 
But God of Moses whom you each defend, 
As man's alhloving and eternal friend, 
You all declare made earth a vale of tears, 

1 Ezek. xxsviii, xxxix. 



122 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

And filled each soul with dismal doubts and 

fears ; 
Hath doomed mankind to an eternal hell, 
In writhing torment evermore to dwell ; 
That God in wrath will fan the fiery coals, 
While age on age in long succession rolls. 
Where nameless tortures never, never cease, 
But through unending; ages will increase. 
And yet you say a Father, just and kind, 
Controls the whole, and fashions every mind. 
O .thoughtless man ! to reason's voice incline, 
Discard the conflict with God's love divine; 
And see for once through superstition's night, 
That He who made the whole, made all things 

right ; 
That by His wisdom, power, and changeless will, 
All nature moves His mission to fulfill ! 

But as the record stands, 'tis plain to see, 
That Satan ever holds supremacy ; 
That all God's chosen ones of every birth, 
By Him selected to replenish earth, 
Prefer to leave the constant field of strife, 
And seek a more congenial, peaceful life. 
Thus God perceives through His long bloody 
school, 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 123 

That force can never win, nor passion rule. 

God now might well indulge in thoughts of grief, 

And thus soliloquize and seek relief: — 

"What sad forebodings now engulf My soul, 

While Satan hath dominion o'er the whole. 

This earth so fair in its primeval state, 

Where thornless flow'rs would bloom and vegetate, 

Where fadeless verdure decked a brierless sod, 

And man in his perfection equaled God, 

Is all reversed, while sad and bitter years 

Have made the world a wilderness of tears. 

Must earth be wrested from My fond embrace, 

And Satan rule and ruin all the race ? 

If so, then other worlds that float in space 

May be the victims of his foul embrace : 

And vast creation in its wondrous whole, 

May yet be subject to his dire control. 

From what is past, the worst I may expect ; 

On seas of blood my fondest hopes are wrecked. 

My aching bosom swells with burdened sighs, 

While hope, once buoyant, dwindles, fades, and dies. 

Earth ! O Heaven ! Is there no friendly 

power 
To give Me hope in this most hopeless hour? 
Are none in sadness left to weep, or tell 
That Satan rules the whole, and peoples Hell ? 



124 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

Vengeance ! raise thy hand, renew the strife, 
And probe the earth with thy relentless knife !" 

But now a voice of love, from soul serene, 

In gentle accents mingles in the scene, 

And spake : — " My Father, spare, and in their stead 

Let retribution fall upon my head: 

I'll take upon Myself the form of man, 

And vindicate Thy primal, faultless plan : 

With kindly words and many loving deeds, 

I'll fain adapt My life to all their needs ; 

With love for love, ay, love for those who hate, 

I'll raise mankind to their primeval state. 

All causes but produce their like effects, 

As he who soweth seed the same expects ; 

Hate comes of hate, while anger feeds its fire ; 

While love for hate will banish hate's desire. 

And, O My Father ! I will be to earth, 

A man of sorrow and of humble birth, 

The lowly walks of human life I'll share, 

And burdens of the poor and needy bear. 

Their wayward footsteps ever will attend, 

And be their true, confiding, faithful friend. 

Thus will I hope their favor to command, 

And fit them for a place at Thy right hand." 

" My Son, Thy precepts all are new, 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 125 

And yet they may be good and true; 

But recompensing love for hate, 

My honor thus to vindicate, 

Is but rewarding evil deeds ; 

And yet You say it soweth seeds, 

That will come forth in after days, 

And mend their wicked, winding ways. 

This strange philosophy, I own, 

In all My teachings is not known. 

But as My plans and powers have failed, 

And sin and Satan have prevailed, 

I'll waive My prejudice, and see 

What good or ill May follow Thee ; 

I'll give My scepter to Thy hand, 

And yield to Thee supreme command.") 

In the fullness of time, or ripening of years, 1 

God's only begotten from Heaven appears, 

In manger was born, where the cattle were 

fed, 2 
On hay for a pillow He first laid His head. 
His advent thus humble, mid sorrows and 

tears, 

1 Gal. iv. 4. — - Luke ii. ^ 



126 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

Foreshadowed the future of life's coming years : 
The days of His childhood and youth were 

concealed, 
But once until manhood His life is revealed j 1 
At length He, no longer obscure or disguised, 
Is by John in the river of Jordan baptized : 3 
"When, lo ! the glad Heavens were opened above, 
The Spirit descended in form of a dove ; 
A voice from the arches resounded, "My Son, 
Thou art My beloved, for well hast Thou 

done !" 
The Spirit from Heaven, with kindness sincere, 
To Jesus, the Son of Jehovah, drew near, 
And now introduced Him to Satan of old, 
That He the great captain of earth might 

behold. 
They cordially met, and together they walked, 
To the top of a mountain they journeyed and 

talked, 
Where Satan portrayeth the beauties of earth, 

1 Luke iii. 41-52.— 2 Mat. iii. 13-17. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 127 

The kingdoms he conquered, and what he was 

worth ; 
And said, "All these riches are now in Thy 

power, 
If Thou wilt but serve me from this very hour." 
But Jesus, revealing His force in reserve, 
Said "Get thee behind me! God only I serve." 
Satan then left Him not further entreating, 
With seeming defeat in this their first meet- 
ing. 1 

This great moral conquest gave hope to the 
nations, 

While angels greet Jesus with kind ministra- 
tions. 2 

His mission so holy, I need not relate, 

How blessings met cursings and love followed 
hate. 

That He healed the infirm, gave sight to the 
blind ; 

1 Mat. iv. 1-10.— a iv. 11. 



128 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

"When falsely accused, no less loving and kind ; 
How enemies scorned Him, derided and railed, 
And many who loved Him, when needed most, 

failed. 
But such was His life in its meekness and 

worth, 
It seemed to surpass all examples of earth. 
The good seed thus scattered by love's willing 

hand, 
Seemed fruitful to bless and encompass the land ; 
And in its rich harvest abundance to yield, 
"While nations were reapers, this planet one 

field. 
But sad the result, as the record appears, 
The seed sown in love and thus watered with 

tears, 
Was plucked from earth's bosom before it gave 

birth, 
By Satan who sought the dominion of earth. 
Thus thwarted the purpose of Father and 

Son, 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 129 

For what he destroyed was a hundred to one. 1 

The contest waxed stronger, while day unto day, 
The foes of Jehovah bore conquering sway; 
And all the apostles with Christ were assailed, 
While chief priests, in league with the Devil, 

prevailed. 
Though great were the efforts of Father and Son, 
The conquest by Satan seemed easily won. 
Christ's wicked accusers were God's chosen seed, 
Still led by the Devil, performed the dark deed. 
And Judas was ready at Satan's command, 
For thirty small pieces of silver in hand, 
With a kiss to betray, and place Him in 

power 
Of those who now sought Him, His life to 

devour. 2 

The Saviour then prayed in the sadness of 
grief, 

1 Mark, iv. 15.— 2 Mat. xsvi. 15, 16, 48. 
6* 



130 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

That aid from His Father would give Him 

relief; 
" Oh ! if it be possible this cup to shun ; 
But Thy will, not Mine, O My Father ! be done. 1 
My God, wilt Thou leave Me to die in their 

power ? 
Why hast Thou forsaken Me in this dark 

hour ?" 2 
Thus Jesus in sorrow and anguish did pray, 
That death and its terrors might all pass away. 
But prayerful entreaties and efforts all failed, 
While Satan emboldened in triumph prevailed. 
Thus Jesus was taken to Pilate and tried, 
Who doomed Him to hang on the cross till 
He died. 

The sun veiled his face and withheld his warm 

light; 

Refusing to watch o'er the heart-rending sight : 

1 Mat. xxvi. 39.— 2 sxvii. 46.— 3 xsvii. 51. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 131 

The rock ribs of earth from their sockets were rent, 
And the dead from their graves in earth's 

struggles were sent. 
But Satan, triumphant, rejoiced in the gloom, 
As Jesus was laid in the depths of the tomb. 
Thus in the great contest with Father and Son, 
The Devil was victor, though sadly he won. 
From Eden's fair bowers, unto Calvary's height, 
He has thwarted God's plans, and has won 

every fight ; 
And his broad, crooked road is still thronged 

every day, 
While but few ever walk in the straight, nar- 
row way. 1 

I would not pluck a gem from Jesus' brow, 
Before whose name all monarchs well may bow: 
But thus to deify that blessed name, 
And think all others ought to do the same. 
Is what he never claimed, much less did plan, 

1 Mat. vii. 13-14. 



132 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

For he but called himself the son of man. 1 
JNor was he void of worldly care and strife. 
Or wholly free from some mistakes in life. 
Behold him, as he hungered by the way, 
And saw a fig-tree, in the light of day ; 
"While yet the time of figs was out of season, 
To look for them did not accord with reason ; 2 
And still he thought its fruit all ripe and fair, 
Upon the leafy boughs were hanging there ; 
But to his disappointment none were found 
Among the verdant leaves nor on the ground. 
This so disturbed that calm and peaceful mind, 
He to the great mistake was not resigned, 
And therefore caused the tree to fade and die, 
For thus deceiving him, while passing by. 3 

Could Christ be Grod, who knowing all, not 

know 
The time and season when the figs should grow % 

1 He is called the Son of Man, by Himself and others, eighty 
times in the New Testament. 
3 Mark. xi. 13.— 3 Mat. xsi. 19. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 133 

And also seeing all, could he not see, 
If figs were there or not upon the tree ? 
And finding none, could God thus vent His 

spite, 
And kill a harmless, senseless tree outright ? 
Is this the God who mapped the vault of space 
With rolling worlds that keep their time and 

place ? 
Who marks the bounds of each revolving 

sphere. 
While ages pass, and cycles disappear % 
Who planned, subdued, and beautified the whole, 
From motes in sunbeams to all spheres that 

roll ? 

If he were God, no other will could harm, 
None could betray, or signal death's alarm : 
No supplication to a higher power, 
Could swell his soul when threat'ning tempests 

lower ; 
And yet he prayed to God in earnest tone, 



134 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

And said Thy will, O God; not mine, be done. 1 

But it is claimed his miracles combine 

To prove that he, in truth, was the Divine. 

Yet Christ doth say in language plain and true, 

That greater deeds than mine shall others do. 

" I can do nothing of myself alone f 

Thus in God's strength I work, and not my 

own ; 
And though my second coming is revealed, 
Yet God from me hath kept the time 

concealed." a 
Christ also asserted which none can deny, 
" I go to my Father, who's greater than I," i 
And whenever called good the statement de- 
nied, 
And said, " God is good, and none other beside." 5 

Then do not call him God, while all can scan 
Page after page that proves him but a man ; 

1 Luke, xx\\. 42.— 2 John, v. 30.— 3 Mat. xsiv. 36.— 4 John. xiv. 
23.— 6 Mat, xix. 17 ; x. 18 ; Luke, xviii. 19. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 135 

But rather call Lira by his chosen name, 
The " son of man," who sought no higher aim ; 
Yet let us seek in all that's good and great, 
His noble life of love to imitate. 
And though he was a man of favored birth, 
A moral light-house in this darkened earth, 
Yet not unlike all other men was born, 
Who grope in darkness, or the earth adorn; 
"Which is the path that angels all have trod, 
While they with Christ and 11s are Sons of God. 



O mortals ! mark the folly of your creeds, 
How they ignore a life of honest deeds, 
And force belief in Christ as God of all, 
Or be forever damned for Adam's fall. 
Though deeds of love are daily our delight, 
Though we despise the wrong and love the 

right, 
The poor and needy may our bounty share, 
In deeds that speak the language of true 

prayer, 



136 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

'Twill not release the soul from endless hell, 
Where angry God and demons ever dwell. 1 
But • once believe, and bow the bended knee, 
And Heaven is ours through all eternity, 2 
Though steeped in sin, or dyed in human blood, 
Or make our path of life a crimson flood, 
Belief in Christ will make us white as wool, 
And give us fellowship with God in full. 3 

"Will this suffice, is asked with wild delight, 
To change a demon to angelic light % 
The church declares there is no other way, 
And then will qualify their creeds, and say : 
You must believe that Christ and God are one ; 
That Christ is God, and yet God's only son ; 
That Satan thwarted God when Adam fell, 
And doomed the race of man to endless hell; 
That God in grief repented making man, 
Because the Devil foiled Him in His plan. 4 

1 Psalm vii. 11; cxxxix. S. — " Mark, xvi. 16. — a Isa. i. IS. — 
4 Gen. vi. 6. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 137 

That His designs with man have ever failed ; 
That sin and Satan ever have prevailed ; 
That when God came to earth in its dark hour, 
To rescue man from Satan's ruling power, 
In this great contest God Himself was slain, 
And all His efforts to escape were vain. 1 
They only took His mortal life, you say, 
While His divine survived the dreadful day; 
But I in kindness will the creeds implore, 
To tell if any ever murdered more. 

You must believe that Satan's scheme devised 
That God should be rejected and despised, 
And that the masses should His name deny, 
And by His chosen race was doomed to die. 
That those selected as the only seed, 
To represent His name in word and deed, 
Led on by Satan's will, performed the crime 
And cast the shadow on the face of time. 
That Nature mourned without a God, in gloom, 

1 Ma*, xsvi. 36-41. 



138 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

Until He burst the bars that bound the tomb. 

You must believe that men are all depraved, 1 
And that but few of all mankind are saved f 
Yet by God's cruel death, oh, strange to tell, 
These few are thus released from endless hell;' 
For every creed declares all hope is vain, 
If Christ the son of God had not been 

slain ; 
And yet I think no creed will dare deny 
That Satan caused the Lord their God to die : 
Thus it would seem that all who rest in 

peace, 
May thanh the Devil for their kind release ! 

You must believe that Christ's great trump 

will sound, 
And waken all that sleep beneath the ground ; 4 
That bone to bone, with bodies, limbs, and 

veins, 

1 Psa. liii. 1, 3 ; Rom. iii. 12.— 2 Mat. xx 16.— 3 Acts, xx 28 ; 
Rom. v. 9, &c, fee.— 4 1 Cor. xv. 52-54. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 139 

Will be replete with their old nerves and 

brains : 
That every soul of Adam's ancient race, 
Are held in doubt, in some sequestered place, 
Are "waiting for the last great judgment day, 
"While mournful years and ages pass away; 
But strange to tell, this trumpet's awful blast, 
Will bring their soulless bodies forth at last, 
And, as the Judge decides, in Heaven or Hell, 
Both soul and body must forever dwell; 
That while eternal ages wend their way, 
All must be cumbered with this load of clay; 
And that the sober few with waving palms, 
Will ever praise God's name by singing 
psalms. 1 
All this you must believe, and more, 
If you would reach their heavenly shore. 

Who can believe what seemeth but a lie? 
But if I could, I'd rather starve and die, 

1 Rev. vii. 9. 



140 VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 

Than stifle reason and all sense of right, 

To blind my eyes, and swear there is no light ! 

Belief is the persuasion of a sonl, 

Which force of circumstances must control. 

No wonder that "not many wise obey," 

Or "travel on the straight and narrow way," 1 

Or that the broad and crooked thoroughfare, 

Is thronged with men of sense who travel there. 

For those who dare to walk by reason's light, 

Prefer the .day to superstition's night ; 

And thus obey the laws of God within ; 

All doing less, must live in conscious sin ; 

None can do more, for God in His behest, 

But governs all as seemeth wise and best. 

Thus should all souls their highest thoughts 

obey — 
Be finite gods in all they do and say. 

O Keason, lend thy hand, let truth prevail, 
Before whose light all dismal creeds must fail ! 

1 1 Cor. i. 26. 



VOICE OF SUPERSTITION. 141 

And may a God of Holt Love be known, 
A God who rules creation as His own, 
"Without a power to hinder or delay, 
While nature moves in its appointed way : 
A God with but one plan, one grand design, 
In which all systems, suns, and spheres com- 
bine; 
While man, the crowning apex of the whole, 
Like suns and worlds is subject to control. 
And yet in man all forms and powers combine, 
A union of the human and divine, 
The ultimatum of God's grand design. 
And as the spheres revolve their tireless rounds, 
Man still progressing hath no spheres nor bounds ; 
But while unending ages onward roll, 
No power will check the progress of a soul. 



VOICE OF NATURE. 



Eteenal Father ! in whose life we live, 
Whose boundless love doth every blessing give, 
"Whose wisdom planned and beautifies the 

whole, 
And speaks the wonders of divine control ; 
"Whose power is ever equal to fulfill 
The changeless purpose of Thy holy will ; 
Whose will is law, with one revokeless aim, 
Through all extent eternally the same ; 
While Nature, loyal to her code of laws, 
Responds to Thee, the Universal Cause ! 
From smallest atom which no eye can trace, 
To suns and worlds that decorate all space, 
From lowest instinct to the plane of man, 
To highest seraphs, all adorn Thy plan ; 



VOICE OF NATURE. J.43 

Alike are objects of Thy tender care ; 
Alike perform their mission everywhere; 
Alike adapted to the spheres they fill, 
In perfect union all obey Thy will. 

Relentless man ! in view of truths like these, 
"Why sit you clown in ignorance and ease? 
Why falter by the road, or from it stray, 
While God's eternal signals light the way? 
Old honest Time — the scribe of ewerj age — 
In Nature's volume writes on every page 
A universal language, understood 
By every soul, that God is great and good. 

From lowest stratum to the verdant plain, 
Behold the links in this important chain ; 
Each link dependent on the one below, 
Each marked with progress as we upward go ; 
Till vegetation spreads her carpet green, 
And creeping things, and animals, are seen. 
While man — the crowning apex of the whole — 
Is made the temple for a living soul, 



144 VOICE OF NATURE. 

In whom all other forms and powers combine— 
The union of the earthly and divine. 

From grossest matter to the most refined, 
Each grain is working as it was designed: 
Each in its sphere their labors do impart, 
Unskilled in science, and untaught by art ; 
Each brute fulfills its mission, small or great, 
ISTo less than kingdom formed inanimate ; 
Each rock a volume gilded o'er with age ; 
Each grain that forms it, is a written page; 
Each shell contains a lesson if we seek ; 
Each pebbled brook with eloquence doth speak. 
The rippling rill that cheers the mountain side, 
Salutes its mate to form the river wide ; 
While arm in arm they journey to the sea, 
Where all unite in joyful harmony; 
Tet every breeze that fans the vacant main, 
Brings back to earth the little streams again. 

Lo ! fettered Spring-time breaks her icy bands, 
Leaps forth with gladness, liberates her hands, 



VOICE OF NATURE. 145 

Spreads verdant carpets o'er the wint'ry lawn, 
Clothes naked forests, beautifies the morn ; 
Brings forth the flowers from their long re- 
pose, 
Pencils with beauty, and perfumes the rose; 
Cheers feathered songsters to a gladsome lay, 
While showers and sunshine gild the genial 
day. 

The changing seasons of earth's broad domains, 
Bring wealth and gladness in their daily 

trains / 
Thus Nature works in all her varied forms, 
Through joyous sunshine, and in wint'ry storms ; 
"While every thing in water, air, or earth, 
Performs the will of Him who gave them 

birth : 
All things co-operate, and ever blend, 
To serve each other for one common end. 

Thus Nature's law directs, and all obey ; 

Her laws are just and have triumphant sway; 

7 



146 VOICE OF NATURE. 

All law is love adapted to each sphere, 
And thus controlled, the law is not severe; 
Each has its line of life distinct to run, 
All plainly marked — as plainly what to shun ; 
All heed God's law, can choose no other way ; 
This truth is clear, to act is to obey. 
Can apples grow on oaks, where acorns thrive ? 
Can bees turn spiders and forsake their hive? 
Can fishes live on trees where linnets sing ? 
A monkey shave his face and be a king ? 
Then doubt no more, for all are to fulfill 
The changeless purpose of their Maker's will, 
All have their proper sphere, or lot assigned, 
Adapted to their nature or their mind. 

While viewing thus the laws that govern these, 
Beast, bird, and insect, blooming flowers and 

trees, 
And in them all God's grand designs we trace, 
We must conclude 'tis thus throughout all space ; 
Like the frail needle that directs afar, 



VOICE OF NATURE. 147 

If true an inch 'tis true to distant star. 
Omnipotence established His decree, 
Mapped out all time, no less eternity. 

" Thou great First Cause " and only Cause di- 
rect, 
All else existing only is effect ; 
Cause and effect must harmonize and blend, 
To doubt the cause, we need but doubt the end. 

When on the verge of Time's primeval morn, 
Before a sun or satellite was born, 
Or first glad ray of oriental light 
Dispelled the gloom of an eternal night, 
While chaos reigned through endless depths 

of space, 
And coming years had no recording place, 
Yet worlds unborn were in the womb of 

thought, 
Which were by God and Nature long begot ; 
And God through Law, by which He doth con- 
trol, 



148 VOICE OF NATURE. 

Was breathing life and beauty through the 

whole ; 
Was working out a problem true and grand, 
"Which we but dimly see, less understand, 
And through eternity His law reveals 
His changeless plan that ignorance conceals. 
Like as Himself, His law must be divine, 
Through which His attributes forever shine. 
God's perfect law can never be deranged ; 
Is ever changeless, though all else is changed : 
No clause abridged, none added, none repealed ; 
Jehovah can not change it — this is sealed/ 
Perfection altered, would produce a flaw; 
God can not err, hence, can not change His 

law: 
While ceaseless ages constitute the past, 
Though future cycles will forever last, 
Unchanging law hath beautified the whole, 
Outlives all ages, ever will control, 
Yea, God Himself is law; and His decree 
Propels the movements of eternity. 



VOICE OF NATURE. 149 

Creation but one galaxy unfurls — 
Jehovah's crown a diadem of pearls ! 
Each star-lit gem upon the whole depends; 
The wdiole to each, a needed influence lends: 
Each orb, an aggregate of countless grains; 
Each grain a key, a ponderous arch sustains ; 
Destroy but one, the boundless spheres will fall, 
And tumble worlds to chaos, one and all ; 
Thus all are links in Nature's endless chain — 
The hand that forged them never wrought in 
vain. 

Great God ! what wisdom is at Thy command, 
What power, while worlds are balanced in Thy 

hand ! 
Thy watchful care directs the slender blade, 
And warms with sunshine and protects with 

shade, 
Enriches earth with rivers, lakes, and seas, 
Directs the storm, yet whispers in the breeze, 



150 VOICE OF NATURE. 

While worlds revolve in undiscovered space, 
Where weary thought can find no resting-place ; 
Yet not a single grain is left to chance, 
Throughout creation's infinite expanse ; 
Thy love and wisdom mold and guide the 

whole, 
From motes in sunbeams to all spheres that roll. 

But where is man — the apex of God's love, 
The link connecting earth to spheres above ? 
Hath he no part in this stupendous plan ? 
He left to grope his way as best he can ? 
Pie made to walk a dim and dangerous path, 
Mid darkness, dogmas, superstition, wrath ? 
With feeble step, w T hile doubts assail his mind, 
A hell perhaps to shun, a heaven to find? 
A hell ! For whom ? For man, a priest replies ; 
And man alone, of all beneath the skies, 
Is doomed to wail in endless pain and woe, 
To flaming fire, for God hath made it so ; 
Our Heavenly Father fired the molten lake 



VOICE OF NATURE. J5| 

For His dear children e'er lie them did make : 
Thus saith the priest, and all the church be- 
lieve ; 
Whatever he may preach, they will receive. 
Who can believe, when taught by reason's light, 
That man is wholly wrong, all else is right ? 
That God's great purpose fails with human 

souls, 
While all of lesser value He controls ! 
That man alone is doomed to weep and wail, 
Through endless ages in a dismal vale; 
In vain to pray with supplicating cry, 
" My God, how long ! must I forever die ?" 
" Forever !" echoes from God's awful throne, 
With mocks and jeers at every burdened 
groan ! 1 

O thoughtless man, reflect, can this be true, 
When God who made thee, had thy end in view ? 
Will He who hears the ravens when they cry, 
1 Prov. i. 26. 



152 VOICE OF NATURE. 

Mock and deride thee, when no hope is nigh? 

Will He who clothes the lilies of the field, 

That neither toil, nor spin, nor raiment yield; 

Who feeds the fowls that never reap nor sow, 

Extends His watchful care where'er they go; 

Will He who clothes the grass which is to-day, 

While all its beauty quickly fades away, 

Forget His image — His immortal child? 1 

Is he alone derided and defiled? 

Or left to tread the downward thoroughfare, 

With Satan to bewilder and ensnare, 

And urge him on to death and dark despair? 

" O ye of little faith !" let reason sway : 

Are not your souls more jprecious far than they f 

Believe that God thy Father is thy friend, 
And hath designed thee for a noble end : 
Made earth thy home, selected each his clime, 
The age in which to live, and length of time ; 
Ordained the path for every human soul, 

1 Matt. vi. 26-30. 



VOICE OF NATURE. 153 

Before it had a thought of self-control : 
Illumines each with Hope's inspiring ray, 
And gives a foretaste of immortal day ; 
"While all are molded by the hand of fate, 
Before the mind attains its conscious state : 
" Just as the twig is bent the tree's inclined," 
Is no less truthful of the human mind. 

Doth man select his native land ? his birth % 
Can any these reject, throughout the earth? 
Yet clime and birth direct and mold the 

mind, 
And mark the path to which man is inclined. 

Who gave the different faiths their hope and 

fear? 
And each the Bible they so much revere ? 
All claiming leaders from the upper sphere, . 
Divinely sent to banish every tear. 

The Hindoo reads with reverence the Shaster ; 
The Persian takes his law from Zoroaster; 



154 VOICE OF NATURE. 

Mohaimned wrote the Koran as inspired; 
All are revered as if by heaven required. 
"While thus sincere, the law to each is right ; 
Each page and volume beams with heavenly 

light. 
Who made us Christians and gave us our law? 
All others wrong, but ours without a flaw? 
Are thus nine-tenths of all mankind deceived 
In their religion, honestly believed? 
Is God thus partial to the human race ? 
While love divine is seen in all we trace? 
While suns and systems move in order grand, 
Propelled by laws ordained by His command ; 
While every grain in this terrestrial ball, 
Alike sustains, yet each sustaining all ; 
While all creation is but one design, 
Through which eternal harmonies combine, 
Who will presume, in this stupendous plan, 
That He who governs all, neglected man? 
That He directs revolving worlds with care, 
Yet lays for man a fatal, artful snare? 



VOICE OF NATURE. 155 

That God liatli made immortal souls in vain, 
Or, what is worse, made most for endless pain ? 
That His clear children under any sky, 
"Were made immortal to forever die ? 
Or that there can exist a human soul, 
Devoid of God's divine, supreme control? 
For He adapts the food to every mind, 
And shapes the destiny of all mankind. 
Thus every people hath a form of praise, 
Most wisely suited to its wants and ways ; 
And every soul in this and every land, 
Is kindly nurtured by a Father's hand ; 
And is directed by unchanging law, 
To choose the right, from danger to withdraw. 

While worlds by kind attraction heed their way, 
They also firm repellant force obey ; 
And move and shine while endless ages roll, 
Propelled by laws that ever will control. 
And mind no less than matter will obey, 
Though oft it may transgress and long delay. 



156 VOICE OF NATURE. 

The pains of sin are friends in timely need, 
To teacli mankind their evil ways to heed ; 
While peace that flows from actions well 

defined, 
Will guide our footsteps and direct the mind; 
And as we each obey or violate, 
We learn to love the right, the wrong to hate : 
Thus are we taught by every word and deed, 
To shun the paths of sin, God's laws to heed. 

Why not to rocky height and brink repair, 
And make a fatal leap, devoid of care ? 
Why not descend Niagara's awful roar, 
Or in a frail balloon the stars explore ? 
Why not plunge headlong into raging fire ? 
Or when you thirst, a boiling fount desire? 
Why not on thorny pillows rest your head? 
And with hot embers make your nightly bed? 
Because unchanging law, without delay, 
In love chastises when we disobey, 
To teach us all the true and better way. 



VOICE OF NATURE. 15 7 

"Why not, when howling storms their fury 

pour, 
Expel the freezing traveller from your door? 
Why happy when he eats his cheerful meal, 
And blesses God you have a heart to feel? 
Because the law of love is ever sure 
To bless each soul who kindly feeds the poor. 
How wise this law, how powerful for good. 
When once obeyed, and fully understood. 

How true that pain, with all its varied ills, 
And every pleasure that our being thrills, 
Are each effects of their producing cause, 
Sustained by God's divine unchanging laws. 

False steps reveal the alphabet of truth, 
Though sad the lesson to a wayward youth ; 
If age or youth from Nature's laws depart, 
Like children burned, they learn to dread the 

smart ; 
Thus retribution comes with kindly pain, 



158 VOICE OF NATURE. 

To teach transgressors not to stray again. 
And holy joys will never be delayed, 
When laws are known, and rigidly obeyed. 
Thus all by mingled pleasures, pains, and fears, 
Will learn the way as they advance in years. 

That God ordained the whole is understood 

To ultimate in universal good; 

Yet hath no less decreed that man shall be, 

Within a given sphere, an agent free ; 

As fishes well secured in globes of glass, 

Are free within, though none without can pass ; 

While they, like us, look outward all around, 

May often wish a larger range was found. 

But highest wisdom hath ordained this plan, 

To focalize the feeble powers of man ; 

Where each may freely choose a field of 

thought — 
May grope in darkness, or be wisely taught; 
Where all will learn, as laws are understood, 
To harmonize with universal good. 



VOICE OF NATUEE. 159 

Thus God ordained that every wayward soul, 
Should walk in wisdom's ways by self-control. 
Hence man's free agency is not denied, 
While God's grand purposes are glorified. 

Why then repine? why not pursue the goal? 
Obey the high emotions of the soul? 
They are the voice of God in tones of love, 
Inviting each to joys that are above. 
Our aspirations ever upward soar; 
We never hope for less, but always more. 
And can the Author of. our hopes decry 
And leave a famished soul to starve and die ? 
O God, forbid ! our longing nature cries, 
While hope confiding mounts the azure skies. 
Sweet hope ! thou beacon-light to weary souls, 
Illumed by Him who everywhere controls, 
A cheerful promise, full of holy joy, 
A glimpse, a touch, that time can not destroy ; 
And he who doubts, must question means and ends, 
And think that God is hankmvpt and susjyends ! 



160 VOICE OF NATURE. 

A glorious future cheers the human race ; 
Unending Progress hath no resting-place ; 
While all our fondest hopes exultant rise, 
To reach the land where sorrow only dies ; 
To meet our happy friends who went before, 
Who'll gladly greet us as we near the shore. 

Let stoics misconstrue Divine decrees, 

Usurp the rule, give heaven to whom they 

please, 
'Tis yet their mission, and no doubt it's best, 
That they should belch the fire that burns their 

breast. 
They fain believe the Lord doth oft repent, 1 
In sorrow walks, in sadness doth relent, 
Consults with man who arbitrates his cause ; 
Is oft induced to compromise His laws ; 
That Satan thwarted God with mother Eve, 
"Which made the Lord repent and deeply grieve. 

1 Gen. vi. 6 ; Ex. xxxii. 14 ; 1 Saml. xv. 35. 



VOICE OF NATURE. IfJl 

If man doth not comport with God's decree, 
Or runs a race that God did not foresee, 
Or if He saw, not choosing to prevent, 
Or, choosing, had not power omnipotent ; 
Or, having power, had not the traits combined, 
To mold and fashion man to suit His mind, 
Then may old orthodoxy well repose, 
Upon its gloomy doctrines and its woes. 

Child of thy Father God, use common sense — 
Stand forth a man, — believe Omnipotence ! 
Think for thyself, maintain thy high behest; 
Be happy now, yea, evermore be blest; 
O thou desponding soul, no longer grieve, 
For more than thou canst hope, thou wilt receive; 
Ne'er doubt though seeming discord grates 

thine ear, 
Though disappointed hope brings sorrow's tear, 
Though man assail his brother man with hate, 
And wars and famine seem to be thy fate; 
Wait the result: these scenes are but a part. 



162 VOICE OF NATURE. 

Like shadows on a landscape rich with art ; 
All move in concert under wi'se control ; 
Wo part is evil could we mew the whole. 

Shall we illustrate this important truth, 
And introduce a country while in youth ? 
Then, in its native state, a prairie view, 
Whose waving grass the plow will soon 

subdue ; 
Its rolling surface far exceeds our gaze, 
Where herds run wild and wander while they 

graze : 
Where unmolested Nature is at ease, 
And flowers amid tall grasses kiss the breeze. 
The nimble deer with undiverted bound, 
Fears not the hunter, or the hunter's hound ; 
The prairie wolf his bleeding prey devours, 
Howls undisturbed through all the nightly 

hours ; 
The busy ant her humble home erects, 
From heat and cold it shelters and protects. 



VOICE OF NATURE. \Q% 

Contented Nature marks her yearly rounds, 
]STo hand of art intrudes upon her grounds. 

But what comes here (these lower tribes 

demand), 
That brings but death and darkness in its hand ! 
Usurps the rule, upturns the living sod, 
Entombs fair Nature's face beneath the clod? 
Blights all our hopes, destroys onr floral home, 
While sure destruction is our fearful doom ! 
A fatal scourge to every living thing, 
A horrid monster, though he must be king! 

Thus all of these unite with solemn vow, 

Against the quiet farmer with his plow ; 

The grand results and blessings which will 

blend, 
They can not see, much less can comprehend. 
But shining grain will soon the farmer greet, 
With golden corn and waving fields of wheat ; 
The humble cot will mark his happy home 



164 VOICE OF NATURE. 

Upon the spot where howling wolves did roani ; 
The village hells respond from hill to plain, 
And join in chorus to the distant main. 
Thus cities, towns, and nations will have sway, 
And plant their footsteps where these tribes 

decay. 
This is established law by wise decree, 
And countless blessings in the whole we see. 

Take courage, then, O man ! when doubts 

arise, 
And clouds and darkness intercept your skies ; 
Be not like thoughtless tribes, or senseless 

minds, 
Who know no God, much less His wise 

designs. 
Believe that from the blood of martyrs slain, 
More perfect fruit will bless the earth again; 
That pain and evil are but friends disguised, 
That tears will all be jewels crystallized. 
"Why should we question Him who ruleth all, 



VOICE OF NATURE. 1@5 

Presides with, care though empires rise and fall ? 
As cycles move successively around, 
God's love and wisdom will in all be found. 
An age with God is but one pendulum stroke, 
"Which worlds and systems in their rounds 

provoke ; 
While mortal man, with feeble fleeting breath, 
Scarce views an inch of time before his death. 
In vain he strives to learn when Time began ; 
The more he learns, the less he feels a man. 
Yet ages roll their centuries behind, 
An undisputed record of God's mind : 
Eternal ages but His plan reveals, 
While fleeting time all but a glimpse conceals; 
We scarcely reach in wisdom letter A, 
While cumbered with this tenement of clay, 
Much less a sentence can we comprehend, 
Of vast eternity that hath no end ! 

Who with one letter can decide a name, 
While saint and sinner each besrin the same ? 



166 VOICE OF NATURE. 

Or with a sentence never understood, 
"Who will presume to arbitrate with God ? 
Yet with one ray of feeble, doubtful light, 
Presumptuous man would rule the Infinite ! 
But coming ages will to all unfold 
The wisdom that no mortal tongue hath told. 
This life is but a ruclimental sphere, 
We barely learn our ignorance while here; 
Yet Hope is born with unattained desires, 
And to immortal life each soul aspires. 
In this important truth all tongues agree, 
That man was made for immortality. 
Death kindly comes and opens wide the door, 
And lights our passage to the golden shore; 
Oblivion spans the gulf while on we tread 
The silent pathway of the living dead. 
Then let earth join with aspirations high, 
Proclaim this glorious truth — we never die ! 
The fields of thought that baffle modern lore, 
We in our march of progress will explore; 
The highest aspirations of each soul 



VOICE OF NATURE. 1(57 

Will more than be attained as ages roll ; 
The stellar worlds of beauty, all so grand, 
Will be our walks of pleasure at command. 
We'll leave behind the distant orbs of light, 
Like stepping-stones, as we pursue our flight ; 
We'll pat the Bear and Tiger passing up, 
And use the Northern Dipper as a cup; 
Then strike the trail where shining comets play, 
O'er trackless paths along the Milky Way. 
We then can learn of God among the spheres, 
And feel the folly of our early years ; 
The orient fields of lucid amber light 
Will cheer us on and on amid our flight ; 
New beauties in concentric circles rise, 
Will span the endless arches of the skies. 
Amid these rapturous scenes we'll hie to earth, 
To childhood's home — the land that gave us 

birth. 
Our friends who yet remain will need our care, 
While they a little longer linger there ; 
We'll prove that we yet live, and love them still, 



16g VOICE OF NATURE. 

And though unseen, kind offices fulfill; 
Can raise their souls from earth to joys above; 
Can sweeten daily toil with peace and love ; 
Can elevate the poor desponding soul, 
Who from surroundings hath no self-control; 
Can visit prisons, where our brothers dwell, 
And cheer the lonely, gloomy, darkened cell; 
Dispel the tears of sorrow, banish pain, 
And prove to man that he will live again. 
Oh yes! we'll come the human race to cheer, 
Wherever earth is watered by a tear. 
The mother comes to bless her infant boy, 
To guard the tender bud with holy joy : 
Her love so pure on earth is not defiled, 
But with a mother's love, she loves her child. 
And children seized by Death's relentless hand 
Oft gladly mingle in the broken band. 
The brittle thread of life can not divide, 
For angel friends are often by your side ; 
Thus heaven and earth are joined in happy twain, 
And in this glorious union will remain. 



VOICE OF NATURE. 109 

How wise, how great, how wonderful the plan! 
A boundless field for undeveloped man ! 
God's works and ways we ne'er can compre- 
hend, 
Creation, this one theme may never end ; 
His omnipresence, love, and wise control, 
Are each immortal themes for every soul. 
Then let all nations join in chorus grand, 
Proclaim the tidings far o'er sea and land ; 
Let worlds on worlds reiterate the song, 
That God our Father never, doetji wrong ! 
As He alone is infinite in power, 
Desire is action, now and evermore ; 
As wisdom shines omnipotently grand, 
'Tis traced through all the workings of His 

hand : 
As God is love, all things are lovely too, 
And rightly seen, His love in all we view ; 
"Wnile Nature's countless voices all proclaim, 
Eternal progress is the end and aim. 



VOICE OE A PEBBLE. 



A pebble in my hand I hold. 

From yonder limpid brook, 
And read its lessons manifold, 

As one might read a book. 

It says, Throughout this wondrous sphere, 
Where'er our thoughts may bound, 

To distant worlds; though far or near, 
~No one like me is found. 

I am myself, will ever be, 

And can not be another : 
My sphere is fixed eternally, 

And Nature is my brother. 

"While this great truth relates to me, 
A part is only told ; 



VOICE OF A PEBBLE. ifi 

For every thing in land or sea, 
Is cast in diff'rent mold. 

The pebbles round the ocean deep, 

Which every wave doth wear, 
The shining leaves the seasons keep, 

~No two alike are there. 

Of all the grains composing earth, 

And vegetation fair, 
All forms of life of every birth, 

In water, earth, or air, 

The rule holds good, no two are found 

Whose pattern is the same ; 
And could we trace creation round, 

We would this truth proclaim. 

The forms of life that meet the eye, 

Wherever we may gaze, 
With varied robes from Nature's dye, 

In every form and phase, 



172 VOICE OF A PEBBLE. 

Are but the outward signs that mark 

Their features to the world, 
Their nature yet is in the dark, 

Their motives not unfurled. 

Some kick, some bite, some lick your hands, 
And some will prance and play, 

Some meekly bow at your commands, 
While others flee away. 

Some climb the trees, some bore the ground, 
Some gnash their teeth and growl ; 

Some only through the day are found, 
All night some whoop and howl. 

All must reveal the pent-up fires 

Of animated force, 
Portraying ever God's desires, 

From which there's no divorce. 

Thus ^Etna heaves his foaming crest, 
And belches fire and smoke ; 



VOICE OF A PEBBLE. 173 

Expels tlie moaning of his breast, 
The obstacles that choke, 

And gains relief and acts his part, 
Like waves that beat the shore ; 

Or throbbings in the lion's heart, 
That stimulate his roar. 

A chain of varied links we see 

"Wherever God is found; 
If two alike will ever be, 

Infinitude is bound. 

In earth, in air, in sea, or space, 
Through worlds and suns that roll, 

A God in endless forms we trace, 
"Whose wisdom guides the whole. 

Jehovah speaks in all we see, 
Whose countless tongues rehearse 

Harmonious strains of melody, 
Throughout the universe. 



174: VOICE OF A PEBBLE. 

All have their proper spheres to fill, 
With settled rule in view ; 

Each must perform its Maker's will, 
With nothing else to do. 

The waters from the distant hill, 

Or cascade in the lawn, 
The mighty river or the rill, 

All to the ocean borne, 

No more to Nature's path incline, 

Or follow God's decree, 
JSTo more fulfill His wise design, 

Than every thing we see. 

No hand can injure or deface 

One particle or grain; 
Each occupies and fills the place, 

That wisdom did ordain. 

As well assail the storms that blow, 
Or proud Niag'ra's roar, 



VOICE OF A PEBBLE. 175 

Or ocean tides that come and go, 
Or waves that lash the shore, 

Or blazing comets in their flight, 

Or worlds that roll on high, 
Or dim the shining orbs of light, 

Or God himself defy ; 

For all obey with cheerful zeal 
The mandate God hath given; 

And each alike His laws reveal, 
Throughout the vault of heaven. 

All worlds have their appointed spheres, 

Distinctively their own; 
Their length of days and rolling years; 

Their longitude and zone. 

Could aught suspend these potent laws, 

This equipoise of power, 
And intercept the Great First Cause, 

But for a eino-le hour: 



176 VOICE OF A PEBBLE. 

Should but one star impede its flight, 

Or lose its time and place, 
Or seek another's trail of light 

Throughout the realms of space, 

Death's dark convulsive waves would lash, 

Creation's boundless shore, 
And worlds with universal crash 

"Would sink to rise no more. 

Thns Nature, with united voice, 

Proclaims its Maker's praise ; 
Though laws propel, it seems of choice, 

That every thing obeys. 



If then whate'er on earth appears, 
With all that moves above, 

Combine like music of the spheres, 
To prove eternal love, 

How is it with created man, 
The irna^e of his God, 



VOICE OF A PEBBLE. 177 

Who though his life is but a span, 
Doth rule this earthly clod? 

His form is comely and erect, 

With features fair and fine, 
!N"o sculptor can a fault detect, 

Or criticise a line. 

His noble frame out-rivals art, 

By ligaments entwined ; 
While membranes, muscles, all impart 

Their form and strength combined. 

His life-blood currents ebb and flow, 

The airy tissues greet, 
And leave their burden to and fro 

At each successive beat. 

The brain, with all its countless nerves, 

On guard by night and day — ■ 

With constant vigilance observes, 

Reports without delay. 
s* 



178 VOICE OF A PEBBLE. 

The eye, the window of the soul, 
On earth and heaven doth gaze, 

The ear sweet melodies control, 

And tongue that speaks God's praise. 

The countless wonders of this frame, 

(A portion only told, 
Ten thousand parts, no two the same,) 

Their uses do unfold. 

Eut each adapted to its place, 

In harmony all blend, 
A perfect union here we trace; 

The parts do not contend : 

For all unite with one accord, 
To form and fashion man — 

The image of his maker, Lord, 
In wisdom of His plan. 

Tet no two men alike are found, 
In body or in mind, 



VOICE OF A PEBBLE. 179 

And those who view the world around. 
This truth will ever find. 

For each sustains a separate part, 

To an important whole ; 
Each fills his place and does impart 

The motives of his soul. 

Each has a mission of his own, 

Adapted to his skill, 
To be sustained by him alone; 

Which no one else can fill. 

No two alike are wise and great, 

!N"o two alike can see, 
And those who would but imitate, 

Make war on God's decree. 

Variety marks every deed, 

And modifies the whole, 
Imparts to each an honest creed, 

Adapted to the soul. 



18 VOICE OF A PEBBLE. 

Gives occupation to the mind, 
On every plane of thought; 

Each in his sphere will pleasure find, 
There only should be sought. 

Some love to plow the trackless seas, 
Some in the workshop toil, 

Some fain would fly against the breeze, 
"While others till the soil. 

Some love to delve in musty lore, 
Some live by what they say, 

While others would the world explore, 
And gladly lead the way. 

And though ten thousand may pursue 

The self-same occupation, 
No two alike the same will do 

In any land or nation. 

But each adapted to his place, 
The world moves gladly on; 



VOICE OF A PEBBLE. \%\ 

Eacli for himself, yet by the race 
Is ever moved upon. 

Each is a unit, though a link 

In an unending chain, 
Yet for himself should ever think, 

And selfhood thus maintain. 

To each a birthright is decreed, 

That shapes our aim and end, 
Secured and vested in a deed, 

That all should well defend. 

Oh, then retain thy rightful sway 

Of that which is thine own ; 
Remember Esau gave away 

His birthright for a bone. 

A creed is written on each breast, 

That God will justify; 
Let each maintain His high behest, 

Though all the world decry. 



182 VOICE OF A PEBBLE. 

When priests and parsons crowd your path, 

"With hell beset your way, 
And preach that God is full of wrath, 

Because you're not as they, 

They little think that God hath made 

Unlike ten thousand flowers, 
And giveth each the snn and shade, 

And genial, gentle showers ; 

Each flower ordained itself to be, 

None other to desire, 
A type of nature's harmony, 

That angels must admire. 

Should roses in their rich attire, 

More humble flowers disdain ? 
Or in a warlike mood require 

All other rivals slain ? 

Should creeping vines that hug the earth, 
Assail the morning glory, 



VOICE OF A PEBBLE. 133 

Because of their more lowly birth, 
Who could believe the story ? 

Each hath its mission everywhere, 

And all obey God's will, 
By being most of what they are, 

And thus their end fulfill. 

Then let each soul with all its powers, 

Forever seek to be 
As perfect in itself as flowers, 

Type of Divinity. 

And as our feeble minds unfold, 

We children of the sod, 
In every object may behold 

The alphabet of God. 

Then let us deal with charity, 

Be hopeful, not bewail, 
Each glimpse of truth a rarity, 

Will finally prevail. 



184 VOICE OF A PEBBLE. 

For who can doubt that motives good, 

May govern every mind ? 
For it is plainly understood, 

That God to all is kind. 

All in their sphere fulfill their task, 

As roars volcanic fire ; 
The good to follow will unmask, 

When evil deeds expire. 

All then fulfill a wise design, 
Though devious seems the way ; 

"While all in harmony combine, 
And each and all obey. 

With God thy Father, man thy brother, 

Oh, be thyself a man, 
Each for himself, yet for each other, 

Is Heav'ns eternal plan. 



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